• LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



1)/ BVfj^/6 n 



\i UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ! 



THE 



Pastor's Hand-Bo ok. 



PREPARED BY THE 



REV. J. B. BALTZLY, D. D. 



INTRODUCTION 



REV. SAMUEL SPRECHER, D. D., LL.D. 






CINCINNATI 

WESTERN METHODIST BOOK CONCERN PRESS. 

1877. 

57~ 






y ^p6 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by 

J. B. BALTZLY, D. D., 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



The Library 
of Congress 

washington 



Ipiutgelital <$ferflj 0} tfje ^[jitrdf of Jfe*it$ ^Ijvbt 



. THIS VOLUME 



<$ffedtior)ately Ii^dfibed kqd ©edidated 



! Y T H E AUTH OR . 



PREFACE. 



The Word of God, to be effective when 
read, must be adapted to the special circum- 
stances and conditions of those whose edifica- 
tion and comfort are sought. 

The Bible, indeed, contains words of in- 
struction and consolation to men in every 
possible condition of life, here a little and 
there a little, all through the sacred page ; 
but ordinarily not enough in one chapter, on a 
given topic, to constitute a lesson of suitable 
length. Accordingly, it has occurred to us 
that careful selections and proper combinations 
of the several passages bearing on the same 
subject, so as to maintain a unity of thought, 
as well as language, might make very appro- 
priate Scripture lessons for special occasions. 

We have felt, for many years, the need of 
a small book containing readings of this sort. 
Oft times we are called upon to visit the sick, 
and to officiate at funerals, with scarcely a 
moment's time for suitable preparation. Under 
such circumstances a little volume of this 
kind is of great convenience, and, generally, 
an economy of time. To a young minister, 
especially, it is an invaluable help. To meet 
such a want is the aim of "The Pastor's 
Hand-Book." 

In our visits to the sick and the dying, we 



6 PREFACE. 

have discovered that the reading of a suitable 
portion of God's Word has furnished more 
real comfort to them than any thing we could 
say; and hence we have prepared readings 
for them, adapted to all the various circum- 
stances and conditions of human affliction. 

But as the .Table of Contents furnishes an 
outline of the character of this volume, it is 
superfluous to notice the several formulas it 
contains in detail. 

We have prepared readings on a great 
number of subjects, adapted to widely varied 
occasions, in concise formulas, so as to present, 
to the clergy especially, and to the laity in 
general, a book that may be conveniently car- 
ried in the hand or pocket. 

Besides a feAv formulas which are prepared 
with the aid of history and the Liturgy, it 
contains nothing but the pure Word of God. 

By permission, the formula for the Fourth 
of July is arranged, with certain changes, 
additions, and omissions, from a Centennial 
Exercise prepared by the editors of the 
Sunday -school Times. 

As this volume is undenominational in its 
character, we hope it may be cheerfully wel- 
comed as a valuable aid to all evangelical 
pastors, in the ever-recurring duties of their 
high calling of Clod in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

J. B. B. 
January 4, 1877. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 
Marriage Ceremonies. 

PAGE. 

Formula I. With Single Question, . . . .15 
Formula II. With Double Questions, ... 16 

CHAPTER II. 
Introduction to the Ministry. 

Formula I. Licensure, 18 

Formula II. Ordination, 22 

CHAPTER III. 
Installation of a Pastor. 

Formula I. For the Pastor, 24 

Formula II. For the Church, . . . . 27 

CHAPTER IV. 
Installation of Church Council. 

Introduction, . - 31 

Formula I. The Duties of Elders, .... 32 
Formula II. The Duties of Deacons, . . . .36 
Conclusion, 39 

CHAPTER V. 

Consecration of a Church. 

Formula I. Corner-stone Laying, . . . .40 

Formula II. Dedication, ..... 44 

Formula III. Re-dedication, 49 

Formula IV. Organ Dedication, .... 53 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER VI. 
Church Festivals. 

PAGE. 

Formula I. Chtistmas, . . . . . .59 

Formula II. New Year, 63 

Formula III. Good Friday, 67 

Formula IV. Easter, 80 

Formula V. Ascension, ...... 88 

Formula VI. Pentecost, 91 

Formula VII. Reformation, 95 

Formula VIII. Harvest Feast, .... 98 

CHAPTER VII. 

National Occasions. 

Formula I. Thanksgiving and Praise, . . . 101 

Formula II. Humiliation and Prayer, . . . 107 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Anniversary Occasions. 

Formula I. Opening of Ecclesiastical Bodies, . .111 

Formula II. Bible Society, 114 

Formula III. Fourth of July, 118 

CHAPTER IX. 

Special Times. 

Formula I. The Pastor's Farewell, . . . 126 

Formula II. Temperance, 130 

CHAPTER X. 

Services at Sick Beds. 

Formula I. An Aged Person, . . . .134 

Formula II. A Suffering Person, . . . .136 

Formula III. A Christain, 139 

Formula IV. A Chastened Person, .... 141 
Formula V. A Backslider, 144 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Formula VI. Prayer for Recovery, 
Formula VII. On Recovering, . 

CHAPTER XI. 
Services at Funerals. 

Formula I. A Minister, 

Formula II. A Public Man, 

Formula III. An Aged Person, 

Formula IV. An Aged Saint, 

Formula V. A Father, . 

Formula VI. A Child, 

Formula VII. A Husband, 

Formula VIII. A Wife, . 

Formula IX. A Son, 

Formula X. A Daughter, . 

Formula XI. A Brother, 

Formula XII. A Young Person, 

Formula XIII. A Needy Person, 

Formula XIV. Brevity of Life, 

Formula XV. Sudden Death, . 

Formula XVI. A Suffering Person, 

Formula XVII. Death Longed for, 

Formula XVIII. Sympathy in Bereavement, 

Formula XIX. Hope in Death, 

Formula. XX. Advantages of Death, 

CHAPTER XII. 
Services at the Grave. 
Formula I. A Christian Man, 
Formula II. A Christian Woman, . 
Formula III. A Child, .... 
Formula IV. A Minister, .... 
Formula V. A Public Man, 
Formula VI. General Occasions, 



PAGE. 

146 

, 147 



151 
154 

158 
161 
164 
167 
171 
173 
175 
178 
180 
183 
185 
187 
190 
192 
194 
197 
199 
202 



205 
206 
207 
208 
209 
211 



INTEODUOTIOK 



There are two sources of thoughts and 
words for the administration of divine ordi- 
nances and the performance of religious cere- 
monies. The one is the experience of the 
people of God in the course of the history of 
the Church under the ordinary influence of 
the Holy Spirit; the other, the thoughts and 
words given by immediate inspiration as re- 
corded in the Bible. 

The religious sentiment, like every other 
fundamental feeling of the human soul, has, 
no doubt, in due time striven with some suc- 
cess to find its ow 7 n appropriate language. 
And the expressions of the religious states 
and relations, which in the various conditions 
of men have gradually come into use, which 
haA^e at all times found a response in the 
common Christian consciousness, and which 
have the consecration of age, will always be 
found important in such services. But the 
deep relationships of absolute dependence on 
the one hand and of free and responsible 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

agency on the other, of the boundless recipi- 
ency, of the deep yearnings of the soul after 
God as the author and end of its being, as its 
sovereign and its everlasting portion, of the 
deep feelings and emotions of submissive and 
implicit faith, of humble and joyful love, of 
holy devotion and spiritual sacrifice — these 
deep and delicate relationships are expressed 
fully only in the language of inspiration. So 
deep is the relation of man to God, so vast 
the religious susceptibility, that it is after all 
only in the thoughts and words of inspiration 
itself that we find the full and true expression 
of the divine sorrows and the divine joys, the 
divine fears and the divine hopes which affect 
the soul in view of its relation to the responsi- 
bilities of time and the retributions of eternity, 
in the changes of life and the experiences of 
death. From no other source can we derive 
language so impressive to the Christian heart, 
so sacred to the believing soul, and conse- 
quently so appropriate for use in such services. 
And how abundantly it has supplied us with 
such thoughts and words, will be seen in this 
book. 

The pastor who has felt the importance of 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

such a use of these hallowed expressions is 
here presented with a very skillful selection 
and arrangement. The author of this Manual 
informs me that his design has been to give: 
" Scripture readings for various occasions, 
formed by combining all the passages on a 
given subject, and so arranging them as to 
preserve a unity of thought and language in 
each lesson, as if spoken by the Divine 
Spirit at one and the same time." He has 
endeavored to assist the pastor in giving ex- 
pression to the mind of the Spirit, to present an 
appropriate service for each occasion in the 
touching words of the Spirit; and he has suc- 
ceeded, at least, in placing under his eye the 
material which can be effectually used for this 
purpose. It will be to the pastor a labor-saving 
help, a light pocket-companion, and a conven- 
ient hand-book. 

SAMUEL SPRECHER. 



The Pastor's Hand-Book. 



CHAPTER I. 
M arriage Ceremonies. 



FORMULA I. 

With Single Question. 

DEARLY BELOVED,— If you desire to live 
together in the bonds of holy wedlock 
after God's sacred ordinance, you will signify 
the same by joining your right hands. 

What, therefore, God hath joined together, 
let not man put asunder. For as much as you 
have consented together in holy wedlock, in 
the presence of God and these witnesses, I 
pronounce you husband and wife. 

If a ring is used, the minister here gives the ring to the 
bridegroom, who puts it upon the fourth finger of the left hand 
of the bride, the minister adding : 

The ring is an emblem of eternity, and you 
give and receive this ring as a simple and yet 
very significant token and pledge of this union. 
Eternal and indissoluble be the bond of your 
love. 

The Lord bless you, and keep you! 

The Lord make his face to shine upon you, 
and be gracious unto you ! 

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, 
and give you peace ! Amen. 

2 



16 MARRIAGE CEREMONIES. 

LET US PRAY. 

Our Father, who art in heaven, in whose 
presence they stand with hands and hearts 
united, and who hast heard their vows, we pray 
thee, look graciously upon them, and ratify the 
union into which they have now entered. So 
rule and sanctify their hearts that they may 
never cease sincerely to love each other, and 
hold fast their confidence in thee through life. 
Grant that thus their union may be one of true 
happiness; that, whenever they shall look back 
to this hour, they may be able to say with re- 
joicing that they have faithfully performed to 
each other the promises now mutually given; 
and that, guided by thy Holy Spirit, they have 
promoted each other's highest well-being; and 
unto the Father, and the Son, and Holy Ghost 
shall be praise, world without end. Amen. 

CONGRATULATION. 

I congratulate you upon this new relation- 
ship into Avhich you have now entered, and 
hope it may be one of true happiness. 



FORMULA II. 

With Double Questions. 

DEARLY BELOVED,— We are gathered to- 
gether here, in the presence of God and 
these witnesses, to join together this man and 



WITH DOUBLE QUESTIONS. 17 

this woman in holy wedlock; and now, if you 
desire to enter this solemn state, I ask you, 

J. C 9 Do you take this woman to be your 
wedded wife, to live together in holy wedlock 
after God's sacred ordinance? Will you love, 
comfort, honor, and keep her, as a faithful 
Christian husband is bound to do, in all the 
varied circumstances of human life ; and, for- 
saking all others, keep you only unto her so 
long as you both shall live ? 

Ansiver. Yes. 

C. 6 7 ., Do you take this man to be ;four 
wedded husband, to live together in holy wed- 
lock after God's sacred ordinance? Will you 
obey, comfort, honor, and keep him, as a faith- 
ful Christian wife is bound to do, in all the 
varied circumstances of human life; and for- 
saking all others, keep you only unto him so 
long as you both shall live? 

Ansiver. Yes.. 

. If a ring is used, the minister here gives the ring to the 
bridegroom, who puts it upon the fourth finger of the left hand 
of the bride, the minister adding : 

The ring is an emblem of eternity, and you 
give and receive this ring as a simple and yet 
very significant token and pledge of this union. 
Eternal and indissoluble be the bond of your 
love. 

Please join your right hands. 

What, therefore, God hath joined together, 
let not man put asunder. For as much as you 



18 INTRODUCTION TO THE MINISTRY. 

have consented together in holy wedlock, in 
the presence of God and these witnesses, I 
pronounce you husband and wife. 

The Lord bless you, and keep you! 

The Lord make his face to shine upon you, 
and be gracious unto you! 

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, 
and give you place. Amen. 

LET US PRAY. 

The minister may use the prayer and con- 
gratulation in Formula I. 



CHAPTER II. 
Introduction to the Ministry. 



FORMULA I. 

Licensure. 

GRACE be with you. Amen. My son, be 
not now negligent: for the Lord hath chosen 
thee to stand before him, to serve him, and 
that thou shouldest minister unto him. Be not 
thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of 
our Lord : but be strong in the grace that is in 
Christ Jesus. Let no man despise thy youth ; 
but be thou an example of the believers, in 
word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in 
faith, in purity. 

Till I come, give attendance to reading, to 



LICENSURE. 19 

exhortation, to doctrine: because it is given 
unto thee to know the mysteries of the king- 
dom of heaven; for whosoever hath, to him 
shall be given, and he shall have more abun- 
dance : but whosoever hath not, from him shall 
be taken away even that he hath. Neglect 
not the gift that is in thee, which was given 
thee: for the Comforter, which is the Holy 
Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, 
he shall teach thee all things, and bring all 
things to thy remembrance, whatsoever I have 
said unto thee. 

I charge thee therefore before God, and the 
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick 
and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom ; 
preach the word; be instant in season, out of 
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long- 
suifering and doctrine. For the time will come, 
when they will not endure sound doctrine; but 
after their own lusts shall they heap to them- 
selves teachers, having itching ears; and they 
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and 
shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou 
iu all things, endure afflictions, do the work of 
an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 
Meditate upon these things ; give thy self wholly 
to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine ; 
continue in them; for in doing this thou shaft 
both save thyself, and them that hear thee. 

I give thee charge in the sight of God, who 



20 INTRODUCTION TO THE MINISTRY. 

quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, 
who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good 
confession, that thou keep thyself pure, with- 
out spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of 
our Lord Jesus Christ. For a bishop must be 
blameless, as the steward of God : not self- 
willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no 
striker, not given, to filthy lucre; but a lover 
of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, 
holy, temperate; rejoicing in hope; patient in 
tribulation ; continuing instant in prayer ; hold- 
ing fast the faithful word as he hath been 
taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine 
both to exhort and to convince the gainsa.yers. 
For there are many unruly and vain talkers 
and deceivers, whose mouths nulst be stopped, 
who subvert whole houses, teaching things 
which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. 

But speak thou the things which become 
sound doctrine. Study to show thyself ap- 
proved unto God, a workman that needeth not 
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of 
truth. But shun profane and vain babblings : 
for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 
Bless them which persecute you; bless, and 
curse not. Bejoice with them that do rejoice, 
and weep with them that weep. 

Flee also youthful lusts : but follow righteous- 
ness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call 
on the Lord out of a, pure heart. But foolish 
and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that 



LICENSURE. 21 

they do gender strifes. And the servant of the 
Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all 
men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instruct- 
ing those that oppose themselves; if God per- 
adventure will give them repentance to the ac- 
knowledging of the truth. 

In all things show thyself a pattern of good 
works: in doctrine uncorruptness, gravity, sin- 
cerity, sound speech that can not be condemned; 
that he that is of the contrary part may be 
ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. 
Let no man despise thee. 

This charge I commit unto thee, according 
to the prophecies which went before on thee, 
that thou by them mightest war a good war- 
fire, holding faith and a good conscience. Con- 
sider what I say ; and the Lord give thee un- 
derstanding in all things. 

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, 
even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath 
given vs everlasting consolation and good hope 
through grace, comfort your heart, and estab- 
lish you in every good word and work. And 
the God of all grace, who hath called us unto 
his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye 
have suffered awhile, make you perfect, estab- 
lish, strengthen, settle you. To him he glory 
and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 



22 INTRODUCTION TO THE MINISTRY. 

FORMULA II. 
Ordination. 

GRACE, mercy, and peace, from God the Fa- 
ther, and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. 

This is a true saying, If a man desire the 
office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A 
bishop then must be blameless, the husband 
of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, 
given to hospitality, apt to teach ; not given to 
wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but 
patient; not a brawler, not covetous; one that 
ruleth well his own house, having his children 
in subjection with all gravity ; for if a man know 
not how to rule his own house, how shall he 
take care of the Church of God ? Not a novice, 
lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the 
condemnation of the devil. 

Moreover, he must have a good report of them 
which are without; lest he fall into reproach 
and the snare of the devil. Wherefore I put 
thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift 
of God, which is in thee by the putting on of 
hands. Hold fast the form of sound words, 
which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love 
which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing 
which was committed unto thee keep by the 
Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us; in all things 
showing thyself a pattern of good works: in 
doctrine showing un corruptness, gravity, sincer- 



ORDINATION. 23 

ity, sound speech that can not be condemned ; 
that he that is of the contrary part may be 
ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you; 
looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious 
appearing of the great God and our Savior 
Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he 
might redeem us from nil iniquity, and purify 
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of 
good works. 

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou 
;m example of the believers, in word, in conver- 
sation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity; 
and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, 
love, patience, meekness. Behold, I send you 
forth as sheep in the midst of wolves : be ye 
therefore wise as serpents and harmless as 
doves. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit 
you like men, be strong. Feed the flock of God 
which is among you, taking the oversight 
thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not 
for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; neither 
as being lords over God's heritage, but being 
ensamples to the flock. Feed my sheep. Feed 
my lambs. Study to show thyself approved 
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be 
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 
But shun profane and vain babblings ; for they 
will increase unto more ungodliness. Let your 
conversation be without covetousness. 

But speak thou the things which become 
sound doctrine; be strong in the grace that is 



24 INSTALLATION OF A PASTOR. 

in Christ Jesus ; endure hardness, as a good 
soldier of Jesus Christ; be not weaiyin well- 
doing; and warn them that are unruly, comfort 
the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient 
toward all men. Them that sin rebuke before 
all, that others also may fear. These things 
speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all author- 
ity. And when the chief Shepherd shall ap- 
pear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fad- 
eth not away. And when they had prayed, and 
laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 
Now the God of peace, that brought again 
from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shep- 
herd of the sheep, through the blood of the 
everlasting covenant, make you perfect in ev- 
ery good work to do his will, working in you 
that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through 
Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and 
ever. Amen. 



CHAPTER III. 
Installation of a Pastor. 



FORMULA I. 

For the Pastor. 

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with 
your Spirit. Amen. 

Son of man, I have made thee a watchman 
unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the 



FOR THE PASTOR. 25 

word at my mouth, and give them warning from 
me. If thou put the brethren in remembrance 
of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of 
Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith 
and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast at- 
tained. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, 
that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in 
thee by the putting on of hands. 

This is a true saying, If a man desire the 
office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A 
bishop then must be blameless, the husband 
of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, 
given to hospitality, apt to teach ; not given to 
wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but 
patient; not a brawler, not covetous; one that 
ruleth well his own house, having his children 
in subjection with all gravity ; for if a man know 
not how to rule his own house, how shall he 
take care of the Church* of God ? Not a novice, 
lest being lifted up. with pride he fall into the 
condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must 
have a good report of them which are without; 
lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the 
devil. 

Take heed therefore unto yourself, and to all 
the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath 
made you overseer, to feed the Church of God, 
Avhich he hath purchased with his own blood. 
Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the 
very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; and 1 
pray Godyom whole spirit, and soul, and body, 



26 INSTALLATION OF A PASTOR. 

be preserved blameless unto the coming of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Flee also youthful lusts: 
but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, 
with them that call on the Lord out of a, pure 
heart. But foolish and unlearned questions 
avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 
man of God, flee these things; and follow after 
righteousness, godliness, faith, loA 7 e, patience, 
meekness; giving no offense in any thing, that 
the ministry be not blamed. Fight the good 
fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where- 
unto thou art also called, and hast professed a 
good profession before many witnesses. 

I charge thee therefore before God and the 
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick 
and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom ; 
preach the word; be instant in season, out of 
season ; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long- 
suffering and doctrine*. Be watchful, and 
strengthen the things which remain, that are 
ready to die. Confirm the souls of the disci- 
ples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, 
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and ex- 
horting them to continue in the faith, and that 
we must through much tribulation enter into 
the kingdom of God. Be thou strong, there- 
fore, and shew thyself a man. Watch thou in 
all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an 
evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 

Observe thou these things without preferring 
one before another, doing nothing by partiality. 



FOR THE CHURCH. 27 

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation 
hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that de- 
nying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should 
live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this pres- 
ent world ; looking for that blessed hope, and 
the glorious appearing of the great God and our 
Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, 
that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and 
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous 
of good works. These things speak, and ex- 
hort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no 
man despise thee. Be not weary in well-doing. 
But be thou faithful unto death. Well done, 
thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been 
faithful over a. few things, I will make thee 
ruler over many things : enter thou into the 
joy of thy lord. 

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invis- 
ible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for- 
ever and ever. The grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ be with you. Amen. 



FORMULA II. 

For the Church. 

GRACE be with you all. Amen. 
Remember them which have the rule 
over you, who have spoken unto you the word 
of God : whose faith follow, considering the end 
of their conversation : Jesus Christ the same 



28 INSTALLATION OF A PASTOR. 

yesterday, and to-day, and forever. But to do 
good, and to communicate, forget not : for with 
such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey 
them that have the rule over you, and submit 
yourselves : for they watch for your souls, as 
they that must give account, that they may 
do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is 
unprofitable for you. 

Receive them therefore in the Lord with all 
gladness; and hold such in reputation. Salute 
all them that have the rule over you, and give 
them their hire, for the laborer is worthy of his 
hire. , Who goeth a warfare any time at his 
own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and 
eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feed- 
eth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of 
the flock ? Say I these things as a man ? 
or saith not the law the same also? For it 
is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt 
not muzzle the mouth of the ox that tread- 
eth out the corn. Doth God take care for 
oxen? or saith he it altogether for our sakes? 
For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that 
he that plougheth should plough in hope ; and 
that he that thresheth in hope should be par- 
taker of his hope. If we have sown unto you 
spiritual things, is it a, great thing if we shall 
reap your carnal things ? If others be partak- 
ers of this power over you, are not we rather? 
Do ye nut know that they which minister 
about holy things live of the things of the tern- 



FOR THE CHURCH. 29 

pie, and they which wait at the altar are par- 
takers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord 
ordained that they which preach the Gospel 
should live of the Gospel. 

And our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and 
God, even our Father, which hath loved us, 
and hath given us everlasting consolation and 
good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, 
and establish you in every good word and work. 
Hold fast the profession of your faith without 
wavering; for he is faithful that promised: 
and consider one another, to provoke unto love, 
and to good works : not forsaking the assem- 
bling of yourselves together, as the manner of 
some is; but exhorting one another; and so 
much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

And we beseech you, brethren, to know 
them which labor among you, and are over 
you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to 
esteem them very highly in love for their 
work's sake. And be at peace among your- 
selves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn 
them that are unruly, comfort the feeble- 
minded, support the weak, be patient toward 
all men. See that none render evil for evil 
unto any man; but ever follow that which is 
good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill 
the law of Christ. Wherefore, comfort your 
selves together, and edify one another, even as 
also ye do. 



80 INSTALLATION OF A PASTOR. 

Finally, brethren, pray for us, 'that the word 
of the Lord may have free course, and be glori- 
fied, even as it is with you; that we may have 
a good conscience, in all things willing to live 
honestly: and that we may be delivered from 
unreasonable and wicked men : for all men 
have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who 
shall establish yon, and keep you from evil. 
And we have confidence in the Lord touching 
you, that ye both do and will do the things 
which we command you. And the Lord direct 
your hearts into the love of God, and into the 
patient waiting for Christ. 

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, 
and to the word of his grace, which is able to 
build you up, and to give you an inheritance 
among all them which are sanctified. And the 
God of peace, that brought again from the dead 
our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the 
sheep, through the blood of the everlasting 
covenant, make-you perfect in every good work, 
to do his will, working in you that which is 
well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; 
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 



INTRODUCTION. Ol 

CHAPTER IV. 

Installation of the Church Council. 



INTRODUCTION, 

DEAR BRETHREN,— You have been duly 
elected by the members of this Church as its 
officers. As your brethren have thus shown 
that they confide in your readiness to discharge 
with fidelity the offices to which you have been 
chosen, in a manner satisfactory to themselves, 
and consistent with }'our Christian obligations, 
and so, as you will desire to have done when 
God shall call you to your last account, I now 
ask your attention to a brief statement of your 
official duties : 

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our 
Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I 
thank my God upon every remembrance of }'ou, 
always in every prayer of mine for you all 
making request with joy, for your fellowship 
in the Gospel, from the first day until now; 
and not that only, but you were also chosen of 
the Church to travel with us with this grace, 
which is administered by us to the glory of the 
same Lord, and declaration ofyouv ready mind : 
avoiding this, that no man should blame us in 
this abundance which is administered by us : 
providing for honest things, not only in the 
sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 
3 



32 INSTALLATION OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL. J 

Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, 
and justly, and unblamably we behaved our- 
selves among you that believe : for yourselves 
know how ye ought to follow us: for we be- 
haved not ourselves disorder!}' among you. Let 
your moderation be known unto all men. Be 
careful for nothing; but in every thing by 
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let 
your request be made known unto God. And 
the peace of God, which passeth all under- 
standing, shall keep your hearts and minds 
through Christ Jesus. 

But give heed while I state your official du- 
ties severally: 

FORMULA I. 
The Duties of Elders. 

AND when they had ordained them elders in 
every Church, and had prayed with fast- 
ing, 11 ey commended them to the Lord, on 
whom they believed. And so were the churches 
established in the faith, and increased in num- 
ber daily. For this cause left I thee in Crete, 
that thou shouldest set in order the things 
that are wanting, and ordain elders in every 
city, as I had appointed thee : if any be blame- 
less, the husband of one wife, having faithful 
children, not accused of riot, or unruly; but 
sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in 
charity, in patience. 



THE DUTIES OF ELDERS. 33 

Moreover, they must hare a good report of 
them which are without; lest they fall into re- 
proach and the snare of the devil. And the 
elders of the congregation shall take care of 
the Church of God, taking the oversight thereof \ 
not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy 
lucre, but of a ready mind ; neither as being lords 
over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the 
flock. Let the elders that rule well, be counted 
worthy of double honor. Rebuke not an elder, 
but entreat him as a father. 

Is any sick among you? let him call for the 
elders of the Church; and let them pray over 
him, anointing him with oil in the name of the 
Lord : and the prayer of faith shall save the 
sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if 
he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven 
him. Confess your faults one to another, and 
pray one for another, that ye may be healed. 
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man 
availeth much. 

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but 
that which is good. He that doeth good is of 
God : but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 
And do faithfully whatsoever ye do to the breth- 
ren and to strangers ; w T hich have borne witness 
to your charity before the Church: whom if 
ye bring forward on their journey after a godly 
sort, ye shall do well. And visit the fatherless 
and widows in their affliction, and keep your- 
selves unspotted from the world. See that no 



34 INSTALLATION OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL. 

other but sound doctrine be taught. Them 
that sin rebuke before all, that others also may 
fear. 

But now I have written unto you not to 
keep company, if any man that is called a 
brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idol-" 
ater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extor- 
tioner: with such a one no not to eat. There- 
fore put away from among yourselves that 
wicked person. In the name of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my 
spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
to deliver such a one unto Satan for the de- 
struction of the flesh, that the spirit may be 
saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

But if any have caused grief, he hath not 
grieved me, but in part: that I may not over- 
charge you all. Sufficient to such a man is 
this punishment, which tuas inflicted of many. 
So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive 
Mm, and comfort him, lest perhaps such an one 
should be swallowed up with overmuch sor- 
row. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would 
confirm your love toward, him. And ye shall 
observe these things without preferring one be- 
fore another, doing nothing by partiality. 

And the God of all grace, who hath called 
us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after 
that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, 
establish, strengthen, settle you. To him be 
glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 



THE DUTIES OF ELDERS. 35 

But in a more specific summary, their du- 
ties are:, 

1. They shall set before the Church a truly 
C h lis ti Jin example. 

2. As members of the Church Council, it is 
their duty to participate in all the business 
connected with the government and discipline 
of the congregation, as detailed in Chapter IV 
of the Formula of Government and Discipline. 

3. They shall take care that evangelical 
doctrine and Christian discipline are main- 
tained and perpetuated in the Church. 

4. They shall visit the schools of the Church 
from time to time, and see that good order is 
observed in them, and that the children are 
properly instructed. 

5. When discord and controversies arise, 
they shall endeavor, as far as possible, to recon- 
cile the parties concerned, and to restore peace. 

6. If the Pastor desire it, they shall accom- 
pany him in his visits to the sick. 

7. They shall see that all the temporal affairs 
of the Church are duly attended to and admin- 
istered, and aid in the execution of any meas- 
ures adapted to promote its Avell-being. 



36 INSTALLATION OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL. 

FORMULA II. 

The Duties of Deacons. 

AND in those days, when the number of the 
disciples was multiplied, there arose a mur- 
muring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, 
because their widows were neglected in the 
daily ministration. Then the twelve called the 
multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, 
It is not reason that we should leave the word 
of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, 
look ye out among you men of honest report, 
full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we 
may appoint over this business. And the say- 
ing pleased the whole multitude ; and they 
chose seven men full of faith and of the Holy 
Ghost, whom they set before the apostles : and 
when they had prayed they laid their hands on 
them. And the word of God increased; and 
the number of the disciples multiplied in Jeru- 
salem greatly; and a, great company of the 
priests were obedient to the faith. We there- 
fore ought to receive such, that w T e might be 
fellow-helpers to the truth. 

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not 
double-tongued, not given to much wine, not 
greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery 
of the faith in a pure conscience. And let 
these also first be proved; then let them use 
office of a deacon, bein^ found blameless. Even 



THE DUTIES OF DEACONS. 37 

so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, 
sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons 
be the husbands of one wife, ruling their chil- 
dren and their own houses well; for they that 
have used the office of a deacon well, purchase 
to themselves a' good degree, and great bold- 
ness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. 

And we beseech you, brethren, to know 
them which labor among you, and are over 
you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to 
esteem them very highly in love for their 
work's sake; and give them their him: for the 
laborer is worthy of his hire. Let all your 
things be done with charity. And be at peace 
among yourselves. 

Now concerning the collection for the saints, 
as I have given order to the Churches, even 
so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let 
every one of you lay by him in store, as God 
hath prospered him, that there be no gather- 
ings when I come. And be ye an example of 
the believers, in word, in conversation, in char- 
ity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Let all things 
be done decently, and in order But to do 
good, and to communicate forget not; for with 
such sacrifices God is w r ell pleased. 

Pray for us : for we trust we have a good 
conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 
And we have confidence in the Lord touching 
you, that ye both do and will clo the things 
which we command you. 



db INSTALLATION OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL. 

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and 
God, even our Father, which hath loved us, 
and hath given us everlasting consolation and 
good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, 
and establish you in every good word and work. 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 
My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. 

But in a more specific summary, their du- 
ties are : 

1. They shall set the Church an example 
of a truly Christian life. 

2. As members of the Church Council, it is 
their duty to participate in all the business 
connected with the government and discipline 
of the congregation, as detailed in Chapter IV 
of the Formula of Government and Discipline. 

3. They shall render all necessary aid in 
the services of the sanctuary, and especially in 
the administration of the Lord's-supper, in the 
way of furnishing the elements of the Com- 
munion, and spreading the table. 

4. They shall take up all collections in the 
Church, and pay the sums collected to the 
Treasurer, as often as the Church Council may 
consider it necessary for the good of the Church. 

5. It shall be their duty to see that, accord- 
ing to Christ's command, the Pastor of the 
Church be properly supported. And, lastly, 
that all things connected with the public wor- 
ship of God be done decently and in order. 



CONCLUSION. 39 



CONCLUSION. 

DEAR BRETHREN,— You have thus heard 
what are the duties that pertkin to your 
respect » r e offices. la order that the congre- 
gation may be certified of your willingness to 
perform them to the best of your abilit}', you 
will now, in the presence of God, make known 
this your willingness by saying: I will. 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the 
love of God, and the communion of the Holy 
Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 

PRAYER. 

The Pastor, giving His right hand to each, shall say: 

I wish you the blessing and guidance of God 
in the exercise of your office. May the Lord 
direct and assist you by his Holy Spirit; may 
he counsel and strengthen you in all your un- 
dertakings, and encourage you to labor dili- 
gently for the prosperity of this Church, and 
to fulfill with fidelity your respective duties. 
And be assured that he who is faithful and just 
to reward those who serve him with upright- 
ness and fidelity, will bless your labors and grant 
you, in time and eternity, a recompense accord- 
ing to his great goodness. Depart in peace. 

The Pastor, turning now to those who are going out of 
office, shall say : 

I address myself to you, dear brethren, Avho 
are now retiring from office, and tender you the 



40 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

thanks of the congregation, for the faithfulness 
and zeal which you have manifested in its serv- 
ice,. That the Lord may bless and reward you, 
is the sincere wish and prayer of us all. 



CHAPTER V. 

Consecration of a Church. 



FORMULA I. 
Corner-Stone Laying. 

NOW set your heart and your soul to seek 
the Lord your God. Is not the Lord your 
God with you ? and hath he not given you rest 
on every side? Arise, therefore, and build ye 
the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark 
of the covenant of the Lord, and the ho\y vessels 
of God, into the house that is to be built to the 
name of the Lord. And the builders brought 
great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, 
to lay the foundation of the house; and they 
laid the foundation of the house of God : and 
since that time, even until now, hath it been in 
building, and yet it is not finished. In the fourth 
year was the foundation of the house of the 
Lord laid, in the month Zif: and all the peo- 
ple shouted with a great shout when they 
praised the Lord, because the foundation of 
the house of the Lord was laid. 



CORNER-STONE LAYING. 41 

Consider now from this day and upward, even 
from the day that the foundation of the Lord's 
temple was laid, consider it; from this clay will 
I bless you. Thus saitli the Lord of hosts, 
Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these 
days these Avords by the mouth of the prophets, 
which ivere in the day that the foundation of 
the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that 
the temple might be built. Whereupon are the 
foundations thereof fastened? or Avho laid the 
corner-stone thereof? The hands of the builder 
have laid the foundation of this house, his4mnds 
shall also finish it; for who hath despised the 
day of small things ? According to the grace of 
God which is given unto me, as a wise master- 
builder, I have laid the foundation, and another 
buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed 
how he buildeth thereupon. For other founda- 
tion can no man lay than that is laid, which is 
Jesus Christ. The stone which the builders 
refused is become the head stone of the corner. 
Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, shall be 
broken : but on whomsoever it shall Ml, it will 
grind him to powder. 

Now if any man build upon this foundation, 
gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stub- 
ble ; every man's work shall be made manifest : 
for the day shall declare it, because it shall be 
revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every 
man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's 
work abide which he hath built thereupon, he 



42 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall 
be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself 
shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 

Wherefore, laying aside all malice, and all 
guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil- 
speakings, as new-born babes, desire the sincere 
milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 
if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gra- 
cious : to whom coming as unto a living stone, 
disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, 
and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built 
up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer 
up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by 
Jesus Christ. Wherefore, also it is contained 
in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief 
corner-stone, elect, precious : and he that be- 
lieveth on him shall not be confounded. Unto 
you therefore which believe, he is precious : but 
unto them which be disobedient, the stone 
which the builders disallowed, the same is made 
the head of the corner, and a stone of stumb- 
ling, and a rock of offense, even to them which 
stumble at the word, being disobedient. But 
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, 
a, holy nation, a peculiar people ; that ye should 
show forth the praises of him who hath called 
you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and 
foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, 
and of the household of God; and are built 
upon the foundation of the apostles and proph- 



CORNER-STONE LAYING. 43 

ets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner- 
stone ; in whom fill the building fitly framed 
together, groweth unto an holy temple in the 
Lord : that your sons may be as plants grown 
up in their youth; that jour daughters may be 
as corner-stones, polished after the similitude 
of a palace : that your garners may be full, 
affording all manner of store; that your sheep 
may bring forth thousands and ten thousands 
in your streets : that your oxen may be strong 
to labor; that there be no breaking in, nor going 
out; that there be no complaining in your streets. 
Happy is that people, that is in such a case : yea, 
happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. 
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, 
I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried 
stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure founda- 
tion : he that believeth shall not make haste. 
This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in 
our eyes. Save now, I beseech thee, Lord : 

Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 
Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the 
Lord : we have blessed you out of the house of 
the Lord. God is the Lord, which hath showed 
us light : bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto 
the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and 

1 will praise thee : thou art my God, I will ex- 
alt thee. Oh give thanks unto the Lord ; for he 
is good : for his mercy endureth forever. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with 
you all. Amen. 



44 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

FORMULA II. 
Dedication. 

HOW amiable are thy tabernacles, Lord of 
hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even faint- 
eth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and. 
my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the 
sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow 
a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, 
even thine altars, Lord of hosts, my King, 
and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in 
thy house : they will be still praising thee. 
They go from strength to strength, every one 
of them in Zion appeareth before God. For a 
day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I 
had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my 
God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 
Arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of 
the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant 
of the Lord, and the holy vessels of Gocl, into 
the house that is to be built to the name of the 
Lord. And David said, Solomon my son is 
young and tender, and the house that is to be 
buildecl for the Lord must be exceeding magnifi- 
cent, of fame and of glory throughout all coun- 
tries. Now, my son, the Lord be with thee; 
and prosper thou, and build the house of the 
Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee. 

Then spake Solomon, Behold, I purpose to 
build an house unto the name of the Lord my 



DEDICATION. 45 

God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, 
saying, Thy son, Avhom I will set upon thy 
throne in thy room, he shall build an house 
unto my name. And Solomon began to build 
the house of the Lord. And he commanded, 
and they brought great stones, costly stones, 
and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the 
house. And the house, when it was in building, 
was built of stone made ready before it was 
brought thither: so that there was neither 
hammer nor ax, nor any tool of iron heard in 
the house, while it was in building. 

And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, 
saying, Concerning this house which thou art 
in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, 
and execute my judgments, and keep all my 
commandments to walk in them; then will I 
perform my word with thee, which I spake unto 
David thy father: and I will dwell among the 
children of Israel, and will not forsake my peo- 
ple Israel. 

Now all the work of Solomon was prepared 
unto ilie day of the foundation of the house 
of the Lord, and until it was finished. So Sol- 
omon built the house, and finished it. In the 
fourth yearw r as the foundation of the house of 
the Lord laid, in the month Zif : and in the 
eleventh year, in the month Bui Avas the house 
finished throughout all the parts thereof, and 
according to all the fashion of it. So was he 
seven years in building it. So was ended all 



46 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

the work that King Solomon made for the 
house of the Lord. And Solomon brought in 
the things which David his father had dedi- 
cated; even the silver, and the gold, and the 
vessels, did he put among the treasures of the 
house of the Lord. Then the king and all the 
people offered sacrifices before the Lord. And 
King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and 
two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty 
thousand sheep. So the king and all the peo- 
ple dedicated the house of God. 

Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he 
would dwell in the thick darkness. I have 
surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled 
place for thee to abide in forever. And the 
king turned his face about, and blessed all the 
congregation of Israel: and all the congrega- 
tion of Israel stood : and he said, Blessed be 
the Lord God of Israel, which spake with his 
mouth unto David my father, and hath with 
his hand fulfilled it, saying, Since the day that 
I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, 
I chose no city out of all the tribes of IsraeL 
to build a house, that my name might be 
therein; but I chose David to be over my 
people Israel. 

And Solomon stood before the altar of the 
Lord in the presence of all the congregation 
of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward 
heaven: and he said, Lord God of Israel, there 
is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on 



DEDICATION. 47 

earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy 
with thy servants that walk before thee with 
all their heart: who hast kept with thy serv- 
ant David my father that thou promisedst him : 
thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast 
fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. 
And now, God of Israel, let thy word, I 
pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto 
thy servant David my father. But will God 
indeed dwell on the earth? behold the heaven 
and heaven of heavens can not contain thee; 
how much less this house that I have build ed ? 
Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy 
servant, and to his supplication, Lord my 
God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, 
which thy servant prayeth before thee to : day : 
that thine eyes may be open toward this house 
night and day, even toward the place of which 
thou hast said, My name shall be there: that 
thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which 
thy servant shall make toward this place. And 
hearken thou to the supplication of thy ser- 
vant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall 
pray toward this place : and hear thou in 
heaven thy dwelling-place: and when thou 
nearest, forgive. 

And it was so, that when Solomon had made 
an end of praying all this prayer and supplica- 
tion unto the Lord, he arose from before the 
altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees 
with his hands spread up to heaven. And he 

4 



48 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel 
with a loud voice, saying, Blessed be the Lord, 
that hath given rest unto his people Israel, ac- 
cording to all that he promised : there hath 
not failed one word of all his good promise, 
which he promised by the hand of Moses his 
servant. The Lord our God be with us, as he 
was with our fathers : let him not leave us, 
nor forsake us : that he may incline our hearts 
unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep 
his commandments, and his statutes, and his 
judgments, which he commanded our fathers. 
And let these my words wherewith I have 
made supplication before the Lord, be nigh 
unto the Lord our God day and night, that he 
maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause 
of his people Israel at all times, as the matter 
shall require : that all the people of the earth 
may know that the Lord is God, and that there 
is none else. Let your heart therefore be per- 
fect with the Lord our God, to walk in his 
statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at 
this day. 

give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is good ; 
for his mercy endureth forever. And say ye, 
Save us, God of our salvation, and gather 
us together, and deliver us from the heathen, 
that we may give thanks to thy holy name, 
and glory in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord 
God of Israel forever and ever. And all the 
people said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And 



RE-DEDICATION. 49 

they, continuing daily with one accord in the 
temple, and breaking bread from house to 
house, did eat their meat with gladness and 
singleness of heart, praising God, and having 
favor with all the people. And the Lord added 
to the Church daily such as should be saved. 



FORMULA III. 

Re-Dedication. 

THUS speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, 
This people say, The time is not come, the 
time that the Lord's house should be built. 
Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai 
the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, ye, 
to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house 
lie waste? Go up to tfie mountain, and bring 
wood, and build the house; and I will take 
pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the 
Lord. 

And now be strong, Zerubbabel, saith the 
Lord ; and be strong, Joshua, son of Jose- 
dech the high priest; and be strong, all ye 
people of the land, saith the Lord, and work; 
for I am with you. Not by might, nor by 
power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of 
hosts. Except the Lord build the house, they 
labor in vain thai build it. Yet the hands of 
Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this 
house; his hands shall also finish it; and he 



50 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

shall bring forth the headstone thereof with 
shoutings, crying, Grace, grace, unto it. For 
thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a 
little while, and I will shake all nations, and 
the Desire of all nations shall come : and I will 
fill this house with glory. The silver is mine, 
and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. 
The glory of this latter house shall be greater 
than of the former: and in this place will I 
give peace. 

And when the builders laid the foundation 
of the temple of the Lord, all the people 
shouted with a great shout, when they praised 
the Lord, because the foundation of the house 
of the Lord was laid. And they build ed, and 
finished it, according to the commandment of 
the God of Israel. 

Now, who is left among you that saw this 
house in her first glory? and how do ye see it 
now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of 
it as nothing? And many of the priests and 
Levites and chief of the fathers, who ivere an- 
cient men, that had seen the first house, when 
the foundation of this house was laid before 
their eyes, wept with a loud voice ; and many 
shouted aloud for joy : so that the people could 
not discern the noise of the shout of joy from 
the noise of the weeping of the people : for the 
people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise 
was heard afar off. And the children of Israel 
kept the dedication of this house of God with 



RE-DEDICATION. 51 

joy, and offered at the dedication a hundred 
bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred 
lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, 
twelve he-goats, according to the number of 
the tribes of Israel. Also the children of those 
that had been carried away, which were come 
out of the captivity, offered burnt-offerings 
unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all 
Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven 
lambs, twelve he-goats /or a sin-offering : all 
this was a burnt-offering unto the Lord. And 
there was very great gladness. 

And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God ; 
and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, 
with lifting up their hands : and they bowed 
their heads and worshiped the Lord with their 
faces to the ground. Now 7 , my God, let, I be- 
seech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine 
ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in 
this place. Let thy priests, Lord God, be 
clothed with salvation, and let thy saints re- 
joice in goodness. Lord God, turn not away 
the face of thine anointed : remember the 
mercies of David thy servant. 

And the Lord said unto him, I have heard 
thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast 
made before me : I have hallowed this house, 
which thou hast built, to put my name there 
forever : and mine eyes and my heart shall be 
there perpetually. In all places where I re- 
cord my name I will come unto thee, and I 



52 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

will bless thee. If my people, which are called 
by my name, shall humble themselves, and 
pray, and seek my face, and turn from their 
wicked ways : then will I hear from heaven, 
and will forgive their sin, and will heal their 
land. For now have I chosen and sanctified 
this house, that my name may be there forever : 
and mine eyes and my heart shall be there 
perpetually. Peace be within thy walls, and 
prosperity within thy palaces. Blessed be the 
Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such 
a thing as this in your heart, to beautify the 
house of the Lord. 

sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto 
the Lord, all the earth. For the Lord is great, 
and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared 
above all gods. Honor and majesty are before 
him : strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his 
name : bring an offering, and come into his 
courts. worship the Lord in the beauty of 
holiness: fear before him, all the earth; for 
he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: 
he shall judge the world with righteousness, 
and the people with his truth. 

1 beseech you therefore, brethren, by the 
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a 
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, 
which is your reasonable service. And be not 
conformed to this world : but be ye trans- 
formed by the renewing of your mind, that ye 



ORGAN DEDICATION. 53 

may prove what is that good, and acceptable, 
and perfect will of Gocl. 

Now unto him that is able to keep you from 
falling, and to present you faultless before the 
presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to 
the only wise God our Savior, he glory and 
majesty, dominion and power, both now and 
ever. Amen. 

FORMULA IV. 
Organ Dedication. 

P "RAISE ye the Lord. Praise God in his 
sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of 
his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: 
praise him according to his excellent greatness. 
Praise him with the sound of the cornet: 
praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise 
him with the timbrel and pipe: praise him 
with stringed instruments and organs. Praise 
him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon 
the high-sounding cymbals; speaking to your- 
selves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual 
songs, singing and making melody in your heart 
to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things 
unto God and the Father, in the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Let every thing that hath 
breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. 
thou eternal God ! Thou art the omnipo- 
tent Jehovah, who dwellest in the Heaven of 
heavens, and rulest among men ; to Thee alone 



54 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

be praise and thanksgiving, from the hosts of 
heaven, and from the inhabitants of earth. 
With devout gratitude and holy joy this con- 
gregation is assembled to worship Thee in this 
temple with this newly erected organ, which 
has been completed under thy divine guidance, 
and which Ave intend now to dedicate to thy 
blessed name. Our first offerings to Thee shall 
be humble thanksgiving, joyful praise, and holy 
reverence. Baptize us with the Holy Ghost, 
and with fire, that we may lift up to* Thee our 
hands and voices, and worship Thee with pure 
hearts fervently, with holy lips, and a conse- 
crated organ. God, who art without begin- 
ning of years or end of days, whose love is 
from everlasting to everlasting, come into our 
midst in thy majesty and glory, and hear our 
prayer. Amen. 

Beloved Brethren, — Believing it to be your 
duty as well as privilege to worship God w r ith 
organ as well as song, and impressed with the 
conviction that the extension of Christ's king- 
dom and the salvation of souls may be thereby 
promoted, you have caused the erection of this 
organ, and are now assembled to dedicate it to 
the worship of the Triune God. Though there 
is no specific divine law expressly demanding 
this at your hands, yet you justly infer, from 
general principles laid down in the Sacred 
Scriptures as well as from the dictates of en- 
lightened reason, that it is your duty; and 



ORGAN DEDICATION. 55 

hence you have done well in that you have 
united in the accomplishment of a work so im- 
portant, and that promises so much good to 
yourselves and to your descendants. We trust 
that you were actuated, in the building of this 
organ, by motives which God approves, and 
that you can truly adopt the language of the 
devout Psalmist: "Not unto us, Lord, not 
unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy 
mercy, and for thy truth's sake." 

We find frequent allusions to the organ in 
God's Holy Word. Moses says, that " Jubal 
was the father of all such as handle the harp 
and organ." This was about one hundred and 
twenty-five years after the creation of the 
world. Job says of the wicked: "They take 
the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound 
of the organ." And because of the change of 
his former state, he cries out in his bitter lamen- 
tation : " My harp is turned to mourning, and 
my organ into the voice of them that weep." 
And the sweet singer of Israel says: "Praise 
the Lord with the timbrel and pipe : praise him 
with stringed instruments and organs." Thus 
it appears that organs were in use at a very early 
day as instruments of rejoicings and lamenta- 
tions both of the righteous and of the wicked. 

But there is no record of their introduction 
into churches until the Christian Era. Pope 
Yitalian is related to have first introduced or- 
gans into some of the churches of Western Eu- 



56 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

rope, about the year of our Lord 670; but the 
earliest trustworthy account is that of the one 
sent as a present by the Greek Emperor Con- 
stantine Copronymus to King Pepin in the 
year of our Lord 755. Since then their intro- 
duction and use as instruments of public wor- 
ship have become very general. And no one 
can (ail to perceive how suitable, and desirable 
it is that such organs should be especially con- 
secrated to the service of the Most High. For 
such a purpose we are now assembled. 

At the request of the Christian congregation 
by whom this organ has been built, and with 
our hearts uplifted unto the Almighty and 
Eternal God, from whom all good gifts do pro- 
ceed, we ministers of the Gospel here assem- 
bled consecrate this organ, and declare that 
henceforth it shall be devoted exclusively to 
the sacred purposes of religion. We appoint 
and consecrate it to the promotion of the glory 
of the Almighty God, to the end that it may 
be used to sweeten and harmonize the voice of 
praise and thanksgiving unto the Creator, Pre- 
server, and Ruler of the world ; and unto Jesus 
Christ our Lord, the only begotten of the 
Father, the only Redeemer of men; and unto 
the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of truth, of life, of 
comfort, and of peace. Unto this sacred pur- 
pose w T e appoint and consecrate this organ, in 
the name of God the Father, the Son, and the 
Holy Ghost. 



ORGAN DEDICATION. 57 

But as the consecration of the organ is vain 
and inefficient, unless it be followed by another 
consecration unto God of the organist, the 
chorister, the choir, and all who sing the songs 
of Zion, I call upon all such now to consecrate 
themselves anew with all the}' are and have to 
the service of their God. To him consecrate 
your souls with all their powers and impulses, 
that you may .sing with the Spirit and the un- 
derstanding, making melody in your hearts 
unto the Lord. To him consecrate your voices 
with all their sweetness and culture, that they 
may break forth harmoniously in psalms and 
hymns and spiritual songs, praising the Lord. 
To him consecrate your bodies with all their 
faculties and members, that they may become 
fit temples for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, 
through whom your praises may become sweet 
as angel songs. Thus may the consecration of 
this organ be accompanied by the consecration 
of yourselves to God. And let all the people 
say, Amen. 

And now, my Christian-friends, accompany 
me with your prayers to the God of all 
grace, that he may bestoAv his blessing upon 
this work. 

PRAYER. 

Father of all grace and compassion, ac- 
cept our thanks that thou hast put it into the 
hearts of thy servants to build this organ unto 
thy praise and for the good of immortal souls. 



58 CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH. 

Look with great favor upon its consecration to 
thy worship as a blessed accompaniment of the 
songs of Zion. Look in mercy upon all who 
shall assemble here in days to come, to join 
their voices with the voice of this consecrated 
organ, and gladden and bless them with thy 
gracious presence. Grant, God! that all 
who shall here sing thy praise may receive the 
blessing of the new covenant to their comfort 
and joy, and afterward join in the song of Mo- 
ses and the Lamb in the better land. Grant, 
God ! that thy servants may this day be cre- 
ated anew into thine own image and likeness, 
that they may here, in thine earthly temple 
sing thy praise with the spirit and the under- 
standing in perfect concord with the voice of 
this consecrated organ, and in the end be re- 
ceived, through riches of grace in Christ Jesus, 
into that glorious temple not made with hands, 
in which everlasting songs of praise are lifted 
up unto Thee. And unto the Triune God, 
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be praise, world 
without end. Amen. 



CHRISTMAS. 59 

CHAPTER VI. 

Church Festivals. 



FORMULA I. 

Christmas. 

~\TOW the birth of Jesus Christ was on this 
J_\ wise : The angel Gabriel was sent from 
God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to 
a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Jo- 
seph, of the house of David, and the virgin's 
name was Mary. And the angel came in unto 
her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, 
the Lord is with thee : blessed art thou among 
women. And when she saw him, she was 
troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind 
what manner of salutation this should be. 
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary : 
for thou hast found favor with God. And be- 
hold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and 
bring forth a son, and shalt call his name 
JESUS. Then said Mary unto the angel, 
How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 
And the angel answered and said unto her, 
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the 
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; 
therefore also that holy thing which shall be 
born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the 



60 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. 
And the angel departed from her. 

And when as Mary was espoused to Joseph, 
before they came together, she was found with 
child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her 
husband, being a just man, and not willing to 
make her a public example, was minded to 
put her away privily. But while he thought 
on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord 
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, 
thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee 
Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived 
in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall 
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name 
JESUS: for he shall save his people from 
their sins. Now all this was done that it 
might be fulfilled which was spoken of the 
Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin 
shall be with child, and shall bring forth a 
son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel; 
which being interpreted is, God with us. 

And it came to pass in those days, that there 
went out a, decree from Csesar Augustus that 
all the world should be taxed. And all went 
to be taxed, every one into his own city. And 
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the 
city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of 
David, which is called Bethlehem, to be taxed 
with Mary his espoused wife. And so it was, 
that while they were there, the days were ac- 
complished that she should be delivered : and 



CHRISTMAS. 61 

she brought forth her first-born son, and 
wrapped him in swaddling-clothes, and laid 
him in a manger; because there was no room 
for them in the inn. 

And there were in the same country shep- 
herds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over 
their flock by night. And lo, the angel of 
the Lord came upon them, and the glory of 
the Loi'd shone round about them; and they 
were sore afraid. And the angel said unto 
them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good 
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 
For unto you is born this day, in the city of 
David, a, Savior, which is Christ the Lord : 
and the government shall be upon his shoulder: 
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Coun- 
sellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting 
Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase 
of his government and peace there shall be no 
end, upon the throne of David, and upon his 
kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with 
judgment and with justice, from henceforth 
even forever. And this shall be a sign unto 
you : Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swad- 
dling-clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly 
^ there was with the angel a multitude of the 
heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory 
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 
good will toward men. 

And it came to pass, as the angels were 
gone a, way from them into heaven, the shep- 



62 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

herds said one to another, Let us now go even 
unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is 
come to pass, which the Lord hath made known 
unto us. And they came with haste, and 
found Mary and Joseph, and ^Jie babe lying in 
a manger. And when they had seen it, they 
made known abroad the saying which was told 
them concerning this child. And all they that 
heard it wondered at those things which were 
told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept 
all these things, and pondered them in her 
heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying 
and praising God for all the things that they 
had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. 
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of 
Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, 
there came wise men from the east to Jerusa- 
lem, saying, Where is he that is born king of 
the Jews? for we have seen his star in the 
east, and are come to worship him. When 
Herod the king had heard these things, he was 
troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And 
when he had gathered all the chief priests and 
scribes of the people together, he demanded 
of them where Christ should be born: and 
they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: 
for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou 
Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the 
least among the princes of Juda: for out of 
thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my 
people Israel. Then Herod, when he had 



NEW YEAR. 63 

privily called the wise men, inquired of them 
diligently what time the star appeared: and 
he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go, and 
search diligently for the young child; and 
when ye have found him, bring me word jigain, 
that I may come and worship him also. 

When they had heard the king, they de- 
parted; and lo, the star, which they saw in 
the east, went before them, till it came and 
stood over where the young child was. When 
they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceed- 
ing great joy. And when they were come 
into the house, they saw the young child with 
Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped 
him : and when they had opened their treas- 
ures, they presented unto him gifts ; gold, and 
frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned 
of God in a dream that they should not return 
to Herod, they departed into their own coun- 
try another way. 

And when eight days were accomplished for 
the circumcising of the child, his name was 
called JESUS. ___^_ 

FORMULA II. 

New Year. 

BEHOLD, there is a feast of the Lord in 
Shiloh yearly. On the first day of the 
year there shall be an holy convocation; and 
ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord, to offer 

5 



64 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice : and ye 
shall rejoice hefore the Lord your God. Come. 
my people, let us, on the first day of the year, 
enter his house, to worship and to sacrifice 
unto the Lord of hosts. 

Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. The 
Lord hath done great things for us; yjJiereof 
we are glad. Lord, thou preservest man 
and beast: therefore the children of men put 
their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from 
above, and cometh down from the Father of 
lights, with whom is no variableness, neither 
shadow of turning. 

What is man, that thou art mindful of him ? 
and the son of man, that thou visitest him ? 
Verily, every man at his best state is alto- 
gether vanity. Behold, thou hast made his 
days as an hand-breadth ; and his age is as 
nothing before thee : and as the stream of 
brooks they pass away; for we are strangers 
before thee, and sojourners, as were all our 
fathers : our days on the earth are as a 
shadow, and there is none abiding. For an- 
other year is passed away: we spend our 
years, as a tale that is told. 

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not 
consumed, because his compassions fail not. 
They are new every morning : great is thy 
faithfulness. Thou crownest the year with thy 
goodness: and thy paths drop fatness. The 



NEW YEAR. 65 

pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys 
also are covered over with corn; they shout 
for joy, they also sing. 

But, Lord, our God, we have sinned; do 
thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto 
thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 
Lord, hear : O-Lord, forgive ; for thou, Lord, 
art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous 
in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. 
So teach us to number our days, that we may 
apply our hearts unto wisdom : for here have 
we no continuing city, but we seek one to 
come. Little children, it is the last time. For 
thus hath the 'Lord said unto me, Within a 
year, according to the years of an hireling, 
and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: and the 
residue of the number of archers, the mighty 
men of the children of Kedar, shall be di- 
minished : for the Lord God of Israel hath 
spoken it. 

He spake also this parable : A certain man 
had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard ; and he 
came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, 
Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit 
on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; 
why cumbereth it the ground ? And he an- 
swering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this 
year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 
and if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after 
that thou shalt cut it down. Therefore thus 



66 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee off 
from the face of the earth : this year thou 
shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion 
against the Lord. For the day of vengeance 
is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed 
is come. 

But, beloved, remember ye the words of our 
Lord Jesus Christ; Watch and pray, that ye 
enter not into temptation : repent, and turn 
yourselves from all your transgressions : so in- 
iquity shall not be your ruin even the year of 
your visitation: lest ye cry this year with a 
great and exceeding bitter cry, The harvest is 
past, the summer is ended, and we are not 
saved. 

But blessed be the God and Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his 
abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto 
a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incor- 
ruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not 
away, reserved in heaven for you, who are 
kept by the power of God through faith unto 
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

Save now, we beseech thee, Lord : 
Lord, we beseech thee, send now prosperity. 
Amen. 



GOOD FRIDAY. 67 

FORMULA III. 
Good Friday. 

NOW at the feast of the Passover, Jesus was 
troubled in spirit, and said, Verily, verily, 
I say unto you, that one of you shall betray 
me. He then, lying on Jesus' breast, saith 
unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, 
He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I 
have dipped it. And when he had dipped the 
sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of 
Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into 
him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou 
doest, do quickly. And he went immediately 
out: and it was night. He then went unto 
the chief priests, to betray Jesus unto them, 
and said unto them, What will ye give me, and 
I will deliver him unto you? And when they 
heard it, they Avere glad, and promised to give 
him money. And they covenanted with him 
for thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that 
was valued, whom they of the children of 
Israel did value ; and from that time he sought 
opportunity to betray him. 

And Jesus went forth Avith his disciples over 
the brook Cedron, where Avas a garden, called 
Gethsemane, into the which he entered, and 
his disciples. And Judas also, Avhich betrayed 
him, kneAv the place : for Jesus oft-times re- 



68 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

sorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, 
having received a band o£men and officers from 
the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither 
with lanterns, and torches, and with him a 
great multitude with swords and staves. Jesus 
therefore went forth, and said unto them, 
Whom seek ye ? They answered him, Jesus 
of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. 
As soon then as he had said unto them, I am 
foe, they went backward, and fell to the ground. 
Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? 
And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus an- 
swered, I have told you that I am he. If there- 
fore ye seek me, let these go their way. Then 
the band, and the captain, and officers of the 
Jews took Jesus, and bound him, and led him 
away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to 
Caiaphas, which was the high-priest that same 
year. 

The high-priest then asked Jesus of his dis- 
ciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered 
him, I spake openly to the world ; lever taught 
in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither 
the Jews always resort; and in secret have I 
said nothing. Why askest thou me ? ask them 
which heard me, what I have said unto them : 
behold, they know what I said. And when 
he had thus spoken, one of the officers which 
stood by, struck Jesus with the palm of his 
hand, saying, Answerest thou the high-priest 



GOOD FRIDAY. 69 

so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken 
evil, bear witness of the evil : but if well, why 
smitest thou me ! 

Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caia- 
phas the high-priest, where the scribes and the 
elders were assembled. Then the chief priests 
and elders, and all the council, sought false wit- 
ness against Jesus, to put him to death; but 
found none : yea, though many false witnesses 
cnme,i/et found they none. For many bare false 
witness against him; but their witness agreed 
not together. At the last came two false wit- 
nesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to 
destroy the temple of God, and to build it 
in three days. But neither so did their witness 
agree together. 

And the elders of the people, and the chief 
priests, and the scribes came together, and led 
him into their council, saying, Art thou the 
Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I 
tell you, ye will not believe. And if I also 
ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. 
And the high priest arose, and said unto him, 
Answerest thou nothing? what isittvhich these 
witness against thee? But Jesus held his 
peace. And the high priest answered and 
said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, 
that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, 
the Son of God. And Jesus said, I am: nev- 
ertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye 



70 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

see the Son of man sitting on the right hand 
of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, 
He hath spoken blasphemy ; what further need 
have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have 
heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They 
answered and said, He is guilty of death. 
Then did they spit in his Dice, and buffeted 
him; and others, when they had blindfolded 
him, smote him on the face with the palms of 
their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou 
Christ, Who is he that smote thee? And 
many other things blasphemously spake they 
against him. 

When the morning was come, all the chief 
priests and elders of the people took counsel 
against Jesus to put him to death. And when 
they had bound him, they led Jesus from Ca- 
iaphas unto the hall of judgment, and delivered 
him to Pontius Pilate the governor. And 
Jesus stood before the governor: but they 
themselves went not into the judgment-hall, 
lest they should be defiled; but that they 
might eat the passover. Pilate then went out 
unto them, and said, What accusation bring 
ye against this man? They answered and said 
unto him, If he were not a malefactor, Ave 
would not have delivered him up unto thee. 
Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and 
judge him according to your law. The Jews 



GOOD FRIDAY. 71 

therefore said unto him. It is not lawful for us 
to put any man to death. 

Then Pilate entered into the judgment-hall 
again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art 
thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered 
him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did 
others tell it thee of me ? Pilate answered, Am 
la Jew? Thine own nation, and the chief 
priests, have delivered thee unto me. What 
hast thou clone? Jesus answered, My king- 
dom is not of this world : if my kingdom were 
of this world, then would my servants fight, 
that I should not be delivered to the Jews : 
but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pi- 
late therefore said unto him, Art thou a king 
then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I 
am a. king. To this end was I born, and for 
this cause came I into the world, that I should 
bear witness unto the truth. Every one that 
is of the truth, heareth my voice. Pilate 
saith unto him, What is truth? And when 
he had said this, he went. out again unto the 
Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no 
fault at all. 

And the whole multitude of them arose, and 
began to accuse him, saying, We found this 
fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to 
give tribute to Caesar, saying, That he himself 
is Christ, a king. Then said Pilate to the 
chief priests, and to the people, I find no fault 
in this man. And they were the more fierce, 



72 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching 
throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee 
to this place. 

When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked 
whether the man were a Galilean. And as 
soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's 
jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who him- 
self was also at Jerusalem at that time. And 
when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding- 
glad : for he was desirous to see him of a long 
season, because he had heard many things of 
him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle 
done by him. Then he questioned with him 
in many words; but he answered him nothing. 
And the chief priests and scribes stood and 
vehemently accused him. And Herod with 
his men of war set him at nought, and mocked 
him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and 
sent him again to Pilate. And the same day 
Pilate and Herod were made friends together : 
for before they were at enmity between them- 
selves. 

And Pilate, when he had called together 
the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people, 
said unto them, Ye have brought this man 
unto me, as one that perverteth the people : 
and behold, I, having examined him before 
you, have found no fault in this man, touching 
those things whereof ye accuse him: no,nor 
yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and lo, 
nothing worthy of death is done unto him : I 



GOOD FRIDAY. J 6 

will therefore chastise him, and release him. 
And they cried out all at once, saying, Away 
with this man. And when he was accused of 
the chief priests and elders, he answered noth- 
ing. Then saith Pilate unto him, Hearest thou 
not how many things they witness against thee ? 
And he answered him to never a word; inso- 
much that the governor marvelled greatly. 

Now at that feast, the governor was wont to 
release unto the people a prisoner, whom they 
would. And they had then a notable prisoner, 
called Barabbas, tvhich lay bound with them 
that had made insurrection with him, who had 
committed murder in the insurrection. There- 
fore, when they were gathered together, Pilate 
said unto them, Ye have a custom that I should 
release unto you one at the passover : will ye 
therefore, that I release unto you the king of 
the Jews? 

When he was set down on the judgment- 
seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou 
nothing to do with that just man: for I have 
suffered many things this day in a dream, be- 
cause of him. But the chief priests and elders 
persuaded the multitude that they should ask 
Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor 
answered and said unto them, Whether of the 
twain will ye that I release unto you? Ba- 
rabbas, or Jesus, which is called Christ ? Then 
cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but 
Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. 



74 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, 
spake again to them, What will ye then that 
I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of 
the Jews ? But they cried, saying, Crucify 
him, crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them 
the third time, Why, what evil hath he done ? 
I have found no cause of death in him; I Avill 
therefore chastise him, and let him go. And 
they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify 
him : and the voices of them and of the chief 
priests prevailed. 

When Pilate saw that he could prevail 
nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, 
he took water and washed his hands before the 
multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood 
of this just person : see ye to it. Then an- 
swered all the people, and said, His blood be 
on us, and on our children. Then the soldiers 
of the governor took Jesus into the common 
hall, and gathered unto him the whole band 
of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put 
on him a scarlet robe. And when they had 
platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his 
head, and a reed in his right hand : and they 
bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, 
saying, Hail, King of the Jews ! And they 
spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote 
him on the head. 

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith 
unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, 
that ye may know that I find no fault in him. 



GOOD FRIDAY. 75 

Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of 
thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate sfdth. 
unto them, Behold the man ! When the chief 
priests therefore and officers saw him, they 
cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 
Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and cru- 
cify him: for I find no fault in him. The 
Jews answered him, We have a law, and by 
our law he ought to die, because he made 
himself the Son of God. 

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he 
was the more afraid ; and went again into the 
judgment-hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence 
art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 
Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not 
unto me? knowest thou not, that I have power 
to crucify thee, and have power to release thee ? 
Jesus answered, Thou couldst have no power 
at all against me, except it were given thee 
from above : therefore he that delivered me unto 
thee hath the greater sin. And from thence- 
forth Pilate sought to release him : but the Jews 
cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou 
art not Csesar's friend. Whosoever maketh him- 
self a king, speaketh against Caesar. When 
Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought 
Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment-seat, 
in a place that is called The Pavement, but in 
the Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the prepa- 
ratio of the passover, and about the sixth 
hour : and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your 



76 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

King! But they cried out, Away with him, 
away with Mm, crucify him. Pilate saith unto 
them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief 
priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. 

And so Pilate, willing to content the people, 
gave sentence that it should be as they required. 
And he released unto them him that for sedi- 
tion and murder was cast into prison, whom 
they had desired; and when he had scourged 
Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. And 
after that they had mocked him, they took the 
robe off from him, and put his own raiment on 
him, and led him away to crucify him. And as 
they came out, they laid hold upon one Simon 
a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on 
him they laid the cross, that he might bear it 
after Jesus. And there were also two others, 
malefactors led with him to be put to death. 

And when they were come unto a place 
called Golgotha, that is to say, A place of a 
skull, they gave him vinegar to drink, mingled 
with gall : but he received it not. And there 
in the place which is called Calvary, they cru- 
cified him, and the malefactors; one on the 
right hand, and the other on the left. And the 
Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he 
was numbered with the transgressors. 

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified 
Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, 
to every soldier a part; and also his coat : now 
the coat was without seam, woven from the top 



GOOD FRIDAY. 77 

throughout. They said therefore among them- 
selves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it 
whose it shall be : that the Scripture might be 
fulfilled, which saith, They parted my'raiment 
among them, and for my vesture they did cast 
lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. 
And it was the third hour, and they crucified 
him. And sitting down, they watched him 
there. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them : 
for they know not what they do. 

And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the 
cross over his head. And the writing was, 
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF 
THE JEWS. This title then read many of 
the Jews: for the place where Jesus was cru- 
cified was nigh to the city : and it was written 
in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. "Then said 
the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write 
not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, 
I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, 
What I have written, I have written. And 
the people stood beholding. 

And they that passed by, reviled him, wag- 
ging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that 
destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three 
days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, 
come down from the cross. Likewise also the 
chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and 
elders, said, He saved others ; himself he can 
not save. If he be the King of Israel, let him 
now come down from the cross, and we will 



ffi CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

believe him. He trusted in God ; let him de- 
liver him now if he will have him : for he said, 
I am the Son of God. The thieves also which 
were crucified with him, cast the same in his 
teeth. And the soldiers also mocked him, 
coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and 
saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save 
thyself. 

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his 
mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife 
of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When 
Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disci- 
ple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto 
his mother, Woman, behold thy son ! Then 
saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! 
And from that hour that disciple took her unto 
his own home. 

And one of the malefactors, which were 
hanged, railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, 
save thyself and us. But the other answer- 
ing, rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear 
God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation ? 
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due 
reward of our deeds : but this man hath done 
nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, 
remember me when thou comest into thy king- 
dom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say 
unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in 
paradise. 

Now, from the sixth hour there was darkness 
over all the land unto the ninth hour. And 



GOOD FRIDAY. 79 

about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud 
voice, saying, Eli. Eli, lama sabachthani? that 
is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou for- 
saken me? Some of them that stood there, 
when they heard that, said, This man calleth 
for Elks. And straightway one of them ran, 
and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, 
and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 
The rest said, Let be; let us see whether Elias 
will come to take him down. 

After this, Jesus knowing that all things 
were now accomplished, that the Scripture 
might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there 
was set a vessel full of vinegar : and they filled 
a sponge with vinegar, and put $upon hyssop, 
and put it to his mouth. When Jesus there- 
fore had received the vinegar, he said, It is 
finished. Jesus, when he had cried again with 
a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I com- 
mend my spirit; and having said thus, he gave 
up the ghost. And behold, the vail of the tem- 
ple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom ; 
and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent : 
and the graves were opened; and many bodies 
of the saints which slept, arose, and came out 
of the graves after his resurrection, and went 
into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 
And all the people that came together to that 
sight, beholding the things which were done, 
feared greatly, and smote their breasts and 
returned to Jerusalem, saying, Certainly this 

6 



80 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

was a righteous man. Now, when the cen- 
turion saw w T hat was done, he glorified God, 
saying, Truly this was the Son of God. 



FORMULA IV. 

Easter. 

AND when the Sabbath was past, veiy early 
in the morning, when it was yet dark, as 
it began to dawn toward the first day of the 
week, at the rising of the sun, Mary Magda- 
lene, and Mary the mother of James the less 
and of Joses, and Salome the mother of Zeb- 
edee's children, James and John his brother, 
and Joanna the wife of Chuza, and certain 
others with them, had bought sweet spices, 
and came to see the sepulcher, bringing the 
spices which they had prepared that they 
might anoint him. And they said among 
themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone 
from the door of the sepulcher? for it was 
very great. 

And behold, there was a great earthquake: 
for the angel of the Lord descended from 
heaven, and came and rolled back the stone 
from the door, and sat upon it. His counte- 
nance was like lightning, and his raiment white 
as snow : and for fear of him the keepers did 
shake, and became as dead men. And when 
they looked, they saw that the stone was 
rolled away. 



EASTER. 81 

Then Mary Magdalene runneth, to tell his 
disciples, They have taken away the Lord out 
of the sepulcher, and we know not where they 
have laid him. But the other women that were 
with her entering into the sepulcher, saw a 
young man sitting on the right side, clothed 
in a long white garment, and found not the 
body of the Lord Jesus; and they were af- 
frighted. And it came to pass, as they were 
much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men 
stood by them in shining garments. And as 
they were afraid, and bowed down their faces 
to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek 
3 r e the living among the dead ? And the angel 
said unto the women, Fear not ye : for I know 
that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He 
is not here; for he is risen, as he said. Come, 
see the place where the Lord lay. But go 
your way quickly, tell his disciples and Peter, 
that he is risen from the dead, and behold, he 
goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye 
see him, as he said unto you: But after that 
I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 
Remember how he spake unto you when 
he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of 
man must be delivered into the hands of sin- 
ful men, and be crucified, and the third day 
rise again : lo, I have told you. And they 
remembered his words, and departed quickly 
from the sepulcher, with fear and great joy ; 
for they trembled, and were amazed : neither 



82 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

said they any thing to any man; for they 
Avere afraid , and did run to bring his disci- 
ples word. 

Then Mary Magdalene cometh to Simon 
Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus 
loved, and saith unto them, They have taken 
away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we 
know not where they have laid him. Peter 
therefore went forth, and that other disciple, 
and came to the sepulcher. So they ran both 
together: and the other disciple did outrun 
Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. And 
he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen 
clothes lying, yet went he not in. Then com- 
eth Simon Peter following him, and went into 
the sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes lie; 
and the napkin that was about his head, not 
lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped to- 
gether in a place by itself. Then went in also 
that other disciple which came first to the sep- 
ulcher, and he saw, and believed. For as yet 
they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise 
again from the dead. Then the disciples went 
away again unto their own home. 

But Mary stood without at the sepulcher 
weeping : as she wept she stooped down 
and looked into the sepulcher, and seeth two 
angels in white, sitting, the one at the head, 
and the other at the feet, where the body of 
Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, 
Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto 



EASTER. 83 

them, Because they have taken away m} r 
Lord, and I know not where they have laid 
him. And when she had thus said, she turned 
herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and 
knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto 
her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seek- 
est thou? She, supposing him to be the gar- 
dener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne 
him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, 
and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto 
her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto 
him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master. Jesus 
saith unto her, Touch me not: for I am not 
yet ascended to my Father: but go to my 
brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto 
my Father and your father, and to my God 
and your Grocl. Mary Magdalene came and 
told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, 
and that he had spoken these things unto her, 
as they mourned and wept. And they, when 
they had heard that he was alive, and had been 
seen of her, believed not. 

But now is Christ risen from the dead, 
whereof these all are witnesses. And the 
angel answered and said unto the women, 
Fear not ye : for I know that ye seek Jesus, 
which was crucified. He is not here: for he 
is risen, as he said. Come, see the place 
where the Lord lay. 

Now, when Jesus was risen early, the first 
day of the week, he appeared first to Mary 



84 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven 
devils. 

And as the other woman went to tell his dis- 
ciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All 
hail. And they came and held him by the 
feet, and worshiped him. Then said Jesus 
unto them, Be not afraid : go tell my brethren 
that they go into Galilee, and there shall they 
see me. 

Now when they were going, behold, some 
of the watch came into the city, and showed 
unto the chief priests all the things that were 
done. And when they were assembled Avith 
the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave 
large money unto the soldiers, saying, Say ye, 
His disciples came by night, and stole him 
away while we slept. And if this come to 
the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and 
secure you. So they took the money, and did 
as they were taught: and this saying is com- 
monly reported among the Jews until this day. 

After that he was seen of Cephas : as it is 
written, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath 
appeared to Simon. 

After that he appeared in another form unto 
two of them, as they went that same day to a 
village called Emmaus, which was from Jeru- 
salem about threescore furlongs. And they 
went and told it unto the residue; and their 
words seemed to them as idle tales, and they 
believed them not. 



EASTER. 85 

Then the same day at evening, being the 
first day of the week, when the doors were 
shut where the disciples were assembled for 
fear of the Jew r s, came Jesus, and found the 
eleven gathered together, and them that were 
with them, and stood in the midst, and up- 
braided them with their unbelief and hardness 
of heart, because they believed not them which 
had seen him after he was risen: and saith 
unto them. Peace be unto you. But they were 
terrified and affrighted, and supposed that 
they had seen a spirit. And he said unto 
them, Why are ye troubled, and why do 
thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my 
hands and my feet, that it is I m}'self: handle 
me, and see ; for a. spirit hath not flesh and 
bones, as ye see me have. And when he had 
thus spoken, he showed them his hands and 
his feet. And while they yet believed not for 
joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have 
ye here any meat? And they gave him a 
piece of broiled fish, and of a honey-comb. 
And he took it, and did eat before them. 
Then were the disciples glad when they saw 
the Lord. 

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Did- 
ymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 
The other disciples therefore said unto him, 
We have seen the Lord. But he said unto 
them, Except I shall see in his hands the print 
of the nails, and put my finger into the print 



86 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, 
I will not believe? 

And after eight days again his disciples were 
within, and Thomas with them. Then came 
Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the 
midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith 
he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and be- 
hold my hands : and reach hither thy hand, 
and thrust it into my side; and be not faith- 
less, but believing. And Thomas answered 
and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Je- 
sus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast 
seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they 
that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

After these things Jesus showed himself 
again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. 
This is now the third time that Jesus showed 
himself to his disciples, after that he was risen 
from the dead. 

Then the eleven disciples went away into 
Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had ap- 
pointed them. And when they saw him, they 
worshiped him: but some doubted. 

After that, he was seen of above five hun- 
dred brethren at once; of whom the greater 
part remain unto this present, but some are 
fallen asleep. 

After that, he was seen of James, then of 
all the apostles. 

And last of all he was seen of me also, as 
of one born out of due time. 



EASTER. 87 

Now if Christ be preached that he rose from 
the dead, how say some among you that there 
is no resurrection of the dead? But if there 
be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ 
not risen : and if Christ be not risen, then is 
our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 
Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God ; 
because we have testified of God that he raised 
up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be 
that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, 
then is not Christ raised : and if Christ be not 
raised, your faith is vain ; ye are yet in your 
sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep 
in Christ, are perished. If in this life only we 
have hope in Christ, we are of all men most 
miserable. 

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and 
become the first-fruits of them that slept. For 
since by man came death, by man came also the 
resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all 
die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 
But every man in his own order: Christ the 
first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at 
his coming. Death is swallowed up in victory. 
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the 
victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 



88 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

FORMULA Y. 

Ascension. 

JESUS saith unto Mary, Touch me not: for 
I am not yet ascended to my Father: but 
go to my brethren, and say unto them, I as- 
cend unto my Father and your Father, and to 
my God ami your God. 

And it came to pass, when the time was come 
that he should be received up, after that he 
through the Holy Ghost had given command- 
ments unto the apostles whom he had chosen : 
to whom also he showed himself alive after his 
passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen 
of them forty days, and speaking of the things 
pertaining to the kingdom of God : and being 
assembled together with them, he commanded 
them that they should not depart from Jeru- 
salem, but wait for the promise of the Father, 
which } r e have heard of me. 

And when he had spoken these things, he 
led them out as far as to Bethany : and he lifted 
up his hands and blessed them. And it came 
to pass, while he blessed them, while they be- 
held, he was parted from them, and taken up; 
and a cloud received him out of their sight. 
And while they looked steadfastly toward 
heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood 
by them in w 7 hite apparel; which also said: 
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up 



ASCENSION. 89 

into heaven? this same Jesus which is taken 
up from you into heavew, shall so come in like 
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

So then he was received up into heaven, and 
sat on the right hand of God in the heavenly 
places, far above all principality, and power, 
and might, and dominion, and every name that 
is named, not only in this world, but also in 
that which is to come : and God hath put all 
things under his feet, and gave him to be the 
head over all things to the Church, which is his 
body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. 
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but 
he that came down from heaven even the Son 
of man which is in heaven, and is on the right 
hand of God ; angels, and authorities, and pow- 
ers, being made subject unto him. Wherefore 
he saith, When he aspended up on high, he led 
captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

And Daniel said, I saw in the night visions, 
and behold, one like the Son of man came with 
the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient 
of days, and they brought him near before him. 
And there was given him dominion and glory, 
and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and 
languages, should serve him: his dominion is 
an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass 
away, and his kingdom that which shall not be 
destroyed. 

And I John, beheld, and lo, in the midst of 
the throne and of the four beasts, and in the 



90 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

midst of the elders, stood a Lamb, as it had 
been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, 
which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth 
into all the earth. 

And Stephen, being full of the Holy Ghost, 
looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw 
the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the 
right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the 
heavens opened, and the Son of man standing 
on the right hand of God. 

Now, ye men of Israel, hear these words; 
Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God 
among you by miracles, and wonders, and signs, 
which God did by him in the midst of you, as 
ye yourselves also know : being the brightness 
of his glory, and the express image of his per- 
son, and upholding all things by the word of 
his power, whom ye slew and hanged on a 
tree : him hath God exalted to the right hand 
of the Majesty on high to be a Prince and a Sa- 
vior, for to give repentance to Israel, and for- 
giveness of sins. Therefore, being by the right 
hand of God exalted, and having received of 
the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he 
hath shed forth this, which ye now see and 
hear. And if any man sin, we have an advo- 
cate with the Father, Jesus Christ the right- 
eous : for he testifieth, Thou art a priest forever 
after the order of Melchisedec. Thou hast 
ascended on high, thou hast led captivity cap- 
tive : thou hast received gifts for men: vea, 



PENTECOST. 9 1 

for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might 
dwell among them. Wherefore he is able also 
to save them to the uttermost that come unto 
God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make inter- 
cession for them. For such a high priest became 
us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate 
from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 
who needeth not daily, as those high priests, 
to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and 
then for the people's : for this he did once, 
Avhen he offered up himself. 

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, 
that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son 
i of God, let us hold fast oar profession. For 
we have not an high priest which can not be 
touched with the feeling of our infirmities: 
but was in all points tempted like as we are, 
yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly 
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain 
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 



FORMULA VI. 

Pentecost. 

BEHOLD, I send the promise of my Father 
upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Je- 
rusalem, until ye be endued with power from 
on high. For John truly baptized with water; 
but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost 
not many days hence. And he led them out 



yi CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

as far as to Bethany:- and be lifted up his 
hands, and blessed them. And it came to 
pass, while be blessed them, be was parted 
from them, and carried up into heaven ; and a 
cloud received him out of their sight. Then 
returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount 
called Olivet, and w T ent up into an upper room, 
where abode both Peter, and James, and John, 
and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholo- 
mew, and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, 
and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of 
James. These all continued with one accord 
in prayer and supplication, with the women, 
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his 
brethren. 

And when the day of Pentecost was fully 
come, they were all with one accord in one 
place. And suddenly there came a sound from 
heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it 
filled all the house where they were sitting. 
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues 
like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 
And they were all rilled with the Holy Ghost, 
and began to speak with other tongues, as the 
Spirit gave them utterance. And there were 
dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out 
of every nation under heaven. 

Now when this was noised abroad, the mul- 
titude came together, and were confounded, 
because that every man heard them speak in 
his own language. And they were all amazed, 



PENTECOST. 9d 

and mar veiled, saying one to another, Behold, 
are not all these which speak Galileans? And 
how hear we every man in our own tongue, 
wherein we were born, speak the wonderful 
works of God? And they were all amazed, 
and were in doubt, saying one to another, 
What meaneth this? Others mocking, said, 
These men are full of new wine. 

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, 
lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men 
of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, 
be this known unto you, and hearken to my 
words : for these are not drunken, as ye sup- 
pose, seeing it is hut the third hour of the day. 
But this is that which was spoken by the 
prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the 
last days, saith God, I will pour out of my 
Spirit upon all flesh : and your sons and your 
daughters shall prophesy, and your young men 
shall see visions, and your old men shall dream 
dreams: and on my servants and on my hand- 
maidens, I will pour out in those days of my 
Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And it 
shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call 
on the name of the Lord, shall be saved. Ye 
men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of 
Nazareth, a man approved of God among you 
by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which 
God did by him in the midst of you, as ye 
yourselves also know : Him, being delivered 
by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge 



94 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

of God, ye have taken, and by wicked bands 
have crucified and slain : this Jesus hath God 
raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. There- 
fore being by the right hand of God exalted, 
and having received of the father the promise 
of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, 
which ye now see and hear. Therefore let 
all the house of Israel know assuredly, that 
God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have 
crucified, both Lord and Christ. 

Now when they heard this, they were 
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and 
to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, 
what shall we do? Then Peter said unto 
them, Repent, and be baptized every one of 
you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the re- 
mission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift 
of the Holy Ghost: for the promise is unto 
you, and to your children, and to all that are 
afar off, even as many as the Lord our God 
shall call. And with many other words did he 
testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves 
from this untoward generation. 

Then they that gladly received his word, 
were baptized : and the same day there were 
added unto them about three thousand souls. 
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' 
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of 
bread, and in prayers. And they, continuing 
daily with one accord in the temple, and break- 
ing bread from house to house, did eat their 



REFORMATION. 95 

meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 
praising God, and having favor with all the 
people. And the Lord added to the Church 
daily such as should he saved. 



FORMULA VII. 

Reformation. 

TESUS CHRIST the same yesterday, and to- 
J day, and forever. This is the stone which 
was set at nought of the builders, which is be- 
come the head of the corner; for other foun- 
dation can no man lay. Neither is there sal- 
vation in any other; for there is none other 
name under heaven given among men, whereby 
we must be saved. We have a sure word of 
prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take 
heed, as unto a light that shine th in a dark 
place, until the day dawn, and the day-star 
arise in your hearts. And this is the word 
which by the Gospel is preached unto us. as a 
lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path. 
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made 
heaven and earth : who hath delivered us from 
the power of darkness, and hath translated us 
into the kingdom of his dear Son. The Lord 
God of heaven hath brought us out from the 
house of bondage into the glorious liberty of 
the children of God. He hath sent his angel, 
and delivered his servants from the bondage 

7 



96 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

of corruption, that it might be fulfilled Avhich 
was spoken of the Lord, saying, And 1 saw 
another mighty angel come down from heaven, 
clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow ivas upon 
his head, and his face was as it were the sun, 
and his feet as pillars of fire : and he had in 
his hand a. little book open: and he set his 
right foot upon the sea, and his \tftfoot on the 
earth, and cried with a loud voice, as ivhen a 
lion roareth : and when he had cried, seven 
thunders uttered their voices. And when the 
seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was 
about to write : and I heard a voice from 
heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things 
which the seven thunders uttered, and write 
them not. And the angel which I saw 7 stand 
upon the sea and upon the earth, lifted up his 
hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth 
forever and ever, that there should be time no 
longer. 

But in the days of the voice of the seventh 
angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mys- 
tery of God should be finished, as he hath de- 
clared to his servants the prophets. And the 
voice which I heard from heaven spake unto 
me again, and said, Go, and take the little 
book which is open in the hand of the angel 
which stand eth upon the sea and upon the 
earth. And I went unto the angel, and said 
unto him, Give me the little book. And he 
said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it 



REFORMATION. 97 

shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in 
thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the 
little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it' 
up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; 
and as soon as I had eaten it my belly was 
bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must 
prophesy before many peoples, and nations, 
and tongues, and kings. And the seventh 
angel sounded; and there were great voices 
in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world 
are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of 
his Christ; and he shall reign forever and 
ever. And the four and twenty elders, which 
sat before God on their seats, fell upon their 
faces, and worshiped God, saying, We give 
thee thanks, Lord God Almighty, which art, 
and wast, and art to come; because thou hast 
taken to thee thy great power, and hast 
reigned. 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the 
mercies of God, that ye stand fast in the lib- 
erty wherewith Christ hath made us free, that 
ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, 
and having done all, to stand. Stand there- 
fore, having your loins girt alout with truth, 
and having on the breastplate of righteousness ; 
and your feet shod with the preparation of the 
Gospel of peace : above all, taking the shield 
of faith, Avherewith ye shall be able to quench 
all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take 
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the 



98 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

Spirit, which is the word of God: and be not 
entangled again with the yoke of bondage; for 
a man is justified by faith without the deeds 
of the law. For therein is the righteousness 
of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is 
written. The just shall live by faith. 

Now unto him that is able to keep you from 
falling, and to present you faultless before the 
presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to 
the only wise God our Savior, be glory and 
majesty, dominion and power, both now and 
ever. Amen. 

FORMULA VIII: 
Harvest Feast. 

GOD said, Let the earth bring forth grass, 
the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree 
yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in 
itself, upon the earth: and the living creature 
after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and 
beast of the earth after his kind : and it was 
so. And He hath promised that while the 
earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and 
cold and heat, ai;d summer and winter, and 
day and night, shall not cease. And the Lord 
is not slack concerning his promise, as some 
men count slackness; but faithful: and he 
hath so fulfilled the same unto us this year. 
And of his loving-kindness, he left not himself 
without witness, in that he did good, and gave 



HARVEST FEAST. 99 

ns rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, fill- 
ing our hearts with food and gladness. Thou 
crownest the year with thy goodness. The 
pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys 
also are covered over with corn; they shout 
for joy, they also sing. 

Having therefore these promises, dearly be- 
loved, let us now fear the Lord our God, that 
giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in 
his season: who reserveth unto us the ap- 
pointed weeks of the harvest. Behold, there 
is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly, the 
feast of harvest, the first-fruits of thy labors, 
which thou hast sown in the field: and the 
feast of ingathering, ivhich is in the end of the 
year, when thou hast gathered in thy labors 
out of the field. And thou shalt rejoice in 
thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, 
and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, 
and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the 
widow, that are within thy gates : and they 
shall not appear before the Lord empty. 
Every man shall give as he is able, according 
to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he 
hath given thee. Thou shalt not delay to 
honor the Lord with thy substance, and with 
the first-fruits of all thine increase: so shall 
thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses 
shall burst out with new wine. And thou 
shalt keep the feast unto the Lord thy God 
with a tribute of a free-will-offering of thine 



100 CHURCH FESTIVALS. 

hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD 
thy God, according as the Lord thy God hath 
blessed thee. 

But beware that thou forget not the Lord 
thy God, in not keeping his commandments, 
and his judgments, and his statutes, which I 
command thee this day: lest, when thou hast 
eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, 
and dwelt therein; and ivhen thy herds and thy 
flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold 
is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multi- 
plied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou 
forget the Lord thy God. And it shall be, if 
thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, I tes- 
tify against thee this day, that there shall be a 
very grievous murrain upon thy cattle which 
is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, 
upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the 
sheep : and the locusts, and caterpillars, and 
that without number, shall eat up thy harvest, 
and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daugh- 
ters should eat : they shall eat up thy vines 
and thy fig-trees: and in the vineyards there 
shall be no sin°lno\ neither shall there be 
shouting: the treaders shall tread out no w T ine 
in their presses, because the harvest of the 
field is perished; and gladness is taken away, 
and joy out of the plentiful field ; because thou 
hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast 
not been mindful of the Rock of thy strength. 

But if thou shalt bring into the house of the 



THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE. 101 

Lord thy God the first-fruits of thy land, and 
shalt indeed obey his voice; then shall he be 
an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adver- 
sary unto thine adversaries : and he shall bless 
thy bread, and thy water; and shall take sick- 
ness away from the midst of thee. There 
shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, 
in thy land: neither shall thy vine cast her 
fruit before the time in the field; and good- 
ness and mercy shall follow thee all the days 
of thy life; and thou shalt dwell in the house 
of the Lord forever. 

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee ; the 
Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be 
gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his coun- 
tenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Amen. 



CHAPTER VII. 

National Occasions. 



FORMULA I. 
Thanksgiving and Praise. 

MAKE a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye 
lands. Serve the Lord with gladness : 
come before his presence with singing. Know 
ye that the Lord he is God : it is he thai hath 
made us, and not we ourselves ; we are his 



102 NATIONAL OCCASIONS. 

people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter 
into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his 
courts with praise : be thankful unto him, and 
bless his name. For the Lord is good • his 
mercy is everlasting. 

Let all the people praise the Lord : for he 
hath brought them into a good land, a land of 
brooks of water, of fountains, and depths that 
spring out of valleys and hills ; a land of wheat, 
and barley, and vines, and fig-trees, and pome- 
granates, and the apple-tree, even all the trees 
of the field; and groves by the green trees 
upon the high hills, and every herb bearing 
seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, 
and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a 
tree yielding seed : and a land of Churches 
established in the faith of our Lord Jesus 
Christ: a land full of silver and gold, neither 
is there any end of their treasures; and full of 
horses, neither is there any end of their chari- 
ots : a land wherein thou sha.lt eat bread with- 
out scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing 
in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of 
whose hills thou may est dig brass; a pleasant 
land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations ; 
a land like the garden of Eden, wide, and quiet, 
and peaceable; a delightsome land; a land of 
rivers; aland flowing with milk and honey; a 
land for cattle; a land of corn and w T ine; a 
land of bread and vineyards; a large land: 
for God hath given it into your hands; a place 



THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE. 103 

where there is no want of any thing that is in 
the earth, for the earth is full of the goodness 
of the Lord. 

He made you also ride on the high places 
of the earth, that you might eat the increase 
of the fields ; and he made you to suck honey 
out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; 
butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of 
lambs, and rams, and goats, with the fat of 
kidneys of wheat: and drink the pure blood 
of the grape. Surely the lines are fallen unto 
you in pleasant places ; yea, you have a goodly 
heritage. 

Now therefore, if ye will walk in my stat- 
utes and keep my commandments, and do 
them ; then I will give you rain in due season, 
and the land shall yield her increase, and the 
trees of the field shall yield their fruit: and 
your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, 
and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing- 
time ; and ye shall eat your bread to the full, 
and dwell in your land safely. And I will 
give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, 
and none shall make you afraid : neither shall 
the sword go through your land. And I will 
walk among you, and will be your God, and ye 
shall be my people. And ye shall eat in 
plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name 
of the Lord your God, that hath dealt won- 
drously with you, and for the good land which 
he hath given thee. 



104 NATIONAL OCCASIONS. 

But beware that thou forget not the Lord 
thy God, in not keeping his commandments, 
and his judgments, and his statutes, which I 
command thee this day : lest when thou hast 
eaten, and art full, and hast built goodly 
houses, and dwelt therein ; and when thy herds 
and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy 
gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is mul- 
tiplied; then thy heart be lifted up, and thou 
forget the Lord thy God : and thou say in thy 
heart, My power and the might of my hand 
hath gotten me this wealth. But thou sha.lt 
remember the Lord thy God : for it is he that 
giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may 
establish his covenant which he sware unto 
thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, 
if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, I 
testify against you this day that }^e shall 
surely perish. As the nations which the Lord 
destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; 
because ye would not be obedient unto the 
voice of the Lord your God. And say ye not, 
A confederacy, to all them to whom this people 
shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their 
fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts 
himself, and let him be your fear, and let him 
be your dread. 

And ye shall proclaim liberty to the cap- 
tives, and the opening of the prison to them 
that are bound, throughout all the land unto 
all the inhabitants thereof: that every man 



THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE. 105 

should let his man-servant} and every man his 
maid-servant, go free: that none should serve 
himself of them; for thou art a holy people 
unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath 
chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto him- 
self, above all the nations that are upon the 
earth. That thy sons may he as plants grown 
up in their youth; that thy dangh t-ers may be 
as corner-stones, polished after the similitude 
of a. palace: that thy garners may he full, af- 
fording all manner of store; that thy sheep 
may bring forth thousands and ten thousands 
in thy streets : that thy oxen may he strong to 
labor; that there he no breaking in, nor going 
out; that there he no complaining in thy streets. 
Happy is that people, that is in such a case : 
yea, happy is that people, whose God is the 
Lord. 

Be glad then, all ye people, and rejoice in 
the Lord your God : for he hath given you the 
former rain moderately, and he will cause to 
come down for you the rain, the former rain, 
and the latter rain: for the pastures of the 
wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her 
fruit, the fig-tree and the vine do yield their 
strength. And the floors shall be full of wheat, 
and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. 
And ye shall eat every man of his own vine, 
and every one of his fig-tree, and drink ye ev- 
ery one the waters of his cistern: that ye may 
be strong, and eat the good of the land, and 



106 NATIONAL OCCASIONS. 



leave it for an inheritance to your children for- 
ever. Fear not, land; be glad and rejoice : 
for the Lord will do great things. And all na- 
tions shall call yftu blessed. Wherefore be not 
afraid, for ye shall dwell in the land in safety: 
every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, 
from Dan even to Beer-sheba; and none shall 
make you afraid : for the mouth of the Lord of 
hosts hath spoken it. Offer unto God thanks- 
giving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High : 
that thy days may be long upon the land which 
the Lord thy God giveth thee. Continue in 
prayer, and watch in the same with thanks- 
giving; giving thanks always for all things 
unto God and the Father, in the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Bless the Lord, my soul, 
and forget not all his benefits: who forgive th 
all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy dis- 
eases ; whoredeemeth thy life from destruction; 
who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and 
tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with 
good things ; so that thy }^outh is renewed like 
the eagle's. give thanks unto the Lord; for 
he is good : for his mercy endureth forever. Let 
every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. 
Praise ye the Lord. And let all the people 
say, Amen. 

As a Secoxd Formula read Psalm cvii: 1-31. 

As a Third Formula read Psalms cxlvii, cxlviii, and cl. 



e : 



HUMILIATION AND PRAYER. 107 

FORMULA II. 

Humiliation and Prayer. 

AND the word of the Lord came unto Jonah 
the second time, saying, Arise, go unto 
Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it 
the preaching that I bid thee : and cry against 
it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 
So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, ac- 
cording to the word of the Lord. Now Nine- 
veh was an exceeding great city of three days' 
journey. And Jonah began to enter into the 
city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, 
Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be over- 
thrown. So the people of Nineveh believed 
God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sack- 
cloth, from the greatest of them even to the 
least of them. For word came unto the king 
of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, 
and he laid his robe from him, and covered 
him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And 
he caused it to be proclaimed and published 
through Nineveh by the decree of the king 
and his nobles, saying, -Let neither man nor 
beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let 
them not feed, nor drink water : but let man 
and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry 
mightily unto God : yea, let them turn every 
one from his evil way, and from the violence 
that is in their hands. Who can tell if God 



108 . NATIONAL OCCASIONS. 

will turn and repent and turn away from his 
fierce anger, thai we perish not? And God 
saw their works, that they turned from their 
evil way; and God repented of the evil that 
he had said that he would do unto them; and 
he did it not. 

Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, 
gather the elders and nil the inhabitants of the 
land into the house of the Lord your God, and 
cry unto the Lord. Alas for the day ! for the 
day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruc- 
tion from the Almighty shall it come. Is 
not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, 
joy and gladness from the house of our God? 
The seed is rotten under their clods, the gar- 
ners are laid desolate, the barns are broken 
down; for the corn is withered. How do the 
beasts groan ! the herds of cattle are per- 
plexed, because they have no pasture; yea, 
the flocks of sheep are made desolate. 

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, 
call a solemn assembly : gather the people, 
sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, 
gather the children, and those that suck the 
breasts : let the bridegroom go forth of his 
chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Turn 
ye even to me with all your heart, and with 
fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 
and rend your heart, and not your garments, 
and turn unto the Lord your God : for he is 
gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of 



HUMILIATION AND PRAYER. 109 

great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 
Who knoweth if he will return and repent, 
and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat- 
offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord your 
God? Let the priests, the ministers of the 
Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, 
and let them say, Spare thy people, Lord, 
and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the 
heathen should rule over them: wherefore 
should they say among the people, Where is 
their God ? 

Then all the children of Israel, and all the 
people, went up, and came unto the house of 
God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, 
and fasted that day until even, and said, We 
have sinned against the Lord, and have com- 
mitted iniquity, and have done wickedly, and 
have rebelled, even by departing from thy pre- 
cepts and from thy judgments : neither have 
we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, 
which spake in thy name to our kings, our 
princes, and our fathers, and to all the people 
of the land. Lord, righteousness belong eth 
unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at 
this day; to our kings, to our princes, and to 
our fathers, because Ave have sinned against 
thee. Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou 
be angry against the prayer of thy people? Thou 
feedest them with the bread of tears; and 
givest them tears to drink in great measure. 
Turn us again, God of hosts, and cause 



110 NATIONAL OCCASIONS. 

thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. 
Lord, hear; Lord, forgive; Lord, hearken 
and do; defer not, for thine own sake, my 
God : for thy city and thy people arc ealled by 
thy name. 

And it shall come to pass in the clay that 
when thy people Israel shall tnrn again to thee, 
and confess thy name, and pray, and make 
supplication unto thee in this house : then will 
the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his 
people. Yea, the Lord will answer and say 
unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, 
and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied 
therewith: and I will no more make you a re- 
proach among the heathen. 

Fear not, land; be glad and rejoice: for 
the Lord will do great things. Be glad then, 
ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord 
your God : for he hath given you the former 
rain moderately, and he will cause to. come 
down for you the rain, the former rain, and 
the latter rain in the first month. And the 
floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall 
overflow with wine and oil. And ye shall eat 
in plenty, and be satisfied, anclj praise the 
name of the Lord your Gocl, that hath dealt 
wondrously with you : and my people shall 
never be ashamed. And ye shall know that 
I am in the midst of Israel, and that 1 am the 
Lord your God, and none else : and my people 
shall never be ashamed. 



OPENING OF ECCLESIASTICAL BODIES. Ill 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Anniversary Occasions. 



FORMULA I. 

Opening of Ecclesiastical Bodies. 

BEHOLD, how good and how pleasant it is 
for brethren to dwell together in unity! 
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, 
that ran down upon the beard; even Aaron's 
beard; that went down to the skirts of his 
garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the 
dew that descended upon the mountains of 
Zion : for there the Lord commanded the 
blessing, even life for evermore. We took 
sweet counsel together, and walked unto the 
house of God in company. Come now there- 
fore, and let us take counsel together: and 
let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw 
nigh and come, that we may know it! 

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, be- 
seech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation 
wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness 
and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing 
one another in love; endeavoring to keep the 
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

In your patience possess ye your souls; in 
all things approving yourselves as the minis- 
ters of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in 

8 



112 ANNIVERSARY OCCASIONS. 

necessities, in distresses ; by pureness, by 
knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by 
the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the 
word of truth, by the power of God, by the 
armor of righteousness on the right hand and 
on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil re- 
port and good report; as deceivers, and yet 
true; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as 
poor, yet making many rich ; as having noth- 
ing, and yet possessing all things. 

Be of the same mind one toward another. 
Mind not high things, but condescend to men of 
low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 
Let nothing he done through strife or vainglory ; 
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other 
better than themselves. For I say, through 
the grace given unto me, to every man that is 
among you, not to think of himself more highly 
than he ought to think; but to think soberly, 
according as God hath dealt to every man the 
measure of faith. For he gave some, apostles ; 
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; 
and some, pastors and teachers; for the per- 
fecting of the saints, for the work of the min- 
istry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 
till we all come in the unity of the faith, and 
of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a 
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature 
of the fullness of Christ. 

Having then gifts differing according to the 
grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, 



OPENING OF ECCLESIASTICAL BODIES. 113 

let us prophesy according to the proportion of 
faith; or ministry, let us to ait on our minister- 
ing: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he 
that exhorteth,on exhortation: he that gi'veth, 
let him do it with simplicity ; he that ruleth, 
with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with 
cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimula- 
tion. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that 
which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to 
another with brotherly love; in honor prefer- 
ring one another. 

But as touching brotherly love, ye need not 
that I write unto you; for ye yourselves are 
taught of God to love one another. And in- 
deed ye do it toward all the brethren which 
are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you. 
brethren, that ye increase more and more : 
that ye may walk honestly toward them that 
are without, and that ye may have lack of 
nothing. Only let your conversation be as it 
becometh the Gospel of Christ: that, whether 
I come and see you, or else be absent, I may 
hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one 
spirit, with one mind, striving together for the 
faith of the Gospel. But ye, beloved, build- 
ing up yourselves on your most holy faith, 
praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves 
in the love of God, looking for the mercy of 
ourjiord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And 
of some have compassion, making a difference : 
and others save with fear, pulling them out of 



114 ANNIVERSARY OCCASIONS. 

the fire; hating even the garment spotted by 
the flesh. 

Now unto him that is able to keep you from 
falling, and to present you faultless before the 
presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to 
the only wise God our Savior, be glory and 
majesty, dominion and power, both now and 
ever. Amen. 



FORMULA IL 
Bible Society. 

HEA11 ye the word which the Lord speak- 
eth unto you, house of Israel: All 
Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and 
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor- 
rection, for instruction in righteousness : that 
the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly 
furnished unto all good works. 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly 
in all wisdom ; teaching and admonishing one 
another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual 
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the 
Lord. But what saith it? The word is nigh 
thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: 
that is, the 'word of faith, which we preach : 
that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the 
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart 
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou 
shalt be saved. For with the heart, man 



BIBLE SOCIETY. 115 

believeth unto righteousness; and with the 
mouth, confession is made unto salvation. 

Come, I pray you, and hear the word that com- 
eth forth from the Lord : to wit, that God was 
in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, 
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and 
hath committed unto us the word of reconcil- 
iation: that ye may be blameless and harm- 
less, the sons of God, without rebuke, -in the 
midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among 
whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding 
forth the word of life. 

We give thanks to God, and the Father of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 
for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, 
whereof ye heard before in the word of the 
truth of the Gospel: which is come unto you, 
as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth 
fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye 
heard of it, and knew the grace of God in 
truth. For this cause also thank Ave God 
without ceasing, because, when ye received 
the word of God which ye heard of us, ye 
received it not as the word of men, but, as it 
is in truth, the word of God, which effectually 
worketh also in you that believe. Men and 
brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, 
and whosoever among you feareth God, to you 
is the word of this salvation sent. Whoso 
despiseth the word shall be destroyed : but 



116 ANNIVERSARY OCCASIONS. 

whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the 
love of God perfected. 

Forever, Lord, thy word is settled in 
heaven. Thou, through thy commandments, 
hast made me wiser than mine enemies : for 
they are ever with me. I have more under- 
standing than all my teachers: for thy testi- 
monies are my meditation. I have seen ai* 
end of all perfection : but thy commandment 
is exceeding broad. . Therefore I love thy 
commandments above gold, yea, above fine 
gold. My tongue shall speak of thy word : 
for all thy commandments are righteousness. 
how r love I thy law ! it is my meditation all 
the day. I hate and abhor lying; but thy law 
do I love. I have refrained my feet from every 
evil way, that I might keep thy word. How 
sweet are thy words unto my taste ! yea, 
siveeter than honey to my mouth. Mine eyes 
fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy 
righteousness. Order my steps in thy word. 
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light 
unto my path. Thy word is very pure : there- 
fore thy servant loveth it. 

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his 
way ? By taking heed thereto according to thy 
word* not by works of righteousness which he 
hath done, but according to his mercy, by the 
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the 
Holy Ghost ; that he might sanctify and cleanse 



BIBLE SOCIETY. 117 

him with the washing of water by the word. 
For the word of Clod is quick, and powerful, 
and sharper than any two-edged sword, pierc- 
ing even to the dividing asunder of soul and 
spirit, and of the joints and marrow,- find is a 
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the 
heart. Sanctify him through thy truth: thy 
word is truth. 

Blessed is the man that walketh not- in the 
counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the 
way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the 
scornful. But his delight is in the law of the 
Lord ; and in his law doth he meditate day and 
night, The law of his God is in his heart;' 
none of his steps shall slide. The law of the 
Lord is perfect, converting the soul : the testi- 
mony of the Lord is sure, making wise the 
simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, 
rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the 
Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes ; the fear 
of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the 
judgments of the Lord are true and righteous 
altogether: more to be desired are they than 
gold, yea, than much fine gold ; sweeter also 
than honey and the honey-comb. Moreover, 
by them is thy servant warned : -and in keeping 
of them there is great reward. 

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole mat- 
ter : Fear God, and keep his commandments : 
for this is the whole duty of man. For God 
shall bring every work into judgment, with 



118 ANNIVERSARY OCCASIONS, 

every secret thing, whether it be good, or 
whether it be evil. 

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, 
and to the word of his grace, which, is able to 
build you up and to give you an inheritance 
among all them which are sanctified. The 
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. 
Amen. 

FORMULA III. 

Fourth of July. 
god over all. 

Leader. The earth is the Lord's and the full- 
ness thereof. The world and they that dw T ell 
therein. 

People. For he hath founded it upon the 
seas, and established it upon the floods. 

Leader. Let us come before his presence 
with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise 
unto him with psalms. 

People. For the Lord is a great God and a 
great King above all gods. 

Leader. All the ends of the world shall re- 
member and turn unto the Lord, and all the 
kindreds of the nations shall worship before 
thee. 

People. For the kingdom is the Lord's and 
he is the governor among the nations. 

Leader. I will remember the works of the 
Lord; surely I will remember thy Avonders 
of old. 



FOURTH OF JULY. 119 

People. Which we have heard and known, 
and our fathers have told us. 

Leader. We will not hide them from their 
children, showing to the generation to come 
the praises of the Lord, and his strength and 
his wonderful works that he hath clone. 

People. That they might set their hope in 
God nnd not forget the works of God, but 
keep his commandments. 

Leader. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and 
increased the joy: they joy before thee ac- 
cording to the joy in harvest, and as men re- 
joice when they divide the spoil. 

People. For thou hast broken the yoke of 
his burden, and the rod of his oppressor, as 
in the day of Midian. 

Leader. Righteousness exalteth a nation : 
but sin is a reproach to any people. 

People. For the throne is established by 
righteousness. 

Leader. Arise, get you up unto the wealthy 
nation, saith the Lord, which have neither 
gates nor bars. 

People. So is this people, and so is this na- 
tion before me, saith the Lord. 

Leader. For ask now of the days that are 
past, which were before thee, since the clay 
that God created man upon the earth, and ask 
from the one side of heaven unto the other, 
whether there hath been heard like it? 

People. He hath not dealt so with any na- 



120 ANNIVERSARY OCCASIONS. 

tion, and as for his judgments they have not 
known them. Praise ye the Lord. 

NATIONAL OBLIGATIONS. 

Leader. Oh that men would praise the Lord 
for his goodness and for his wonderful .works 
to the children of men. 

People. The Lord hath done great things 
for us, whereof we are glad. 

Leader.- Therefore thou shalt keep the com- 
mandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in 
his ways and to fear him. 

People. The Lord hath done great things 
for us, whereof we are glad. 

Leader. For the Lord thy God bringeth thee 
into a good land, a land of brooks of water, 
of fountains and depths that spring out of val- 
leys and hills. A land of wheat and barley 
and vines and fig-trees, and pomegranates ; a 
land of oil-olive and honey. A land wherein 
thou shalt eat bread without scarceness ; thou 
shalt not lack any thing in it. A land whose 
stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou 
mayest dig brass. 

People. The Lord hath done great things 
for us, whereof we are glad. 

Leader. Thou hast avouched the Lord this 
day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, 
and to keep his statutes and his commandments 
and his judgments and to hearken unto his 
voice. And the Lord hath avouched thee 



FOURTH OF JULY. 121 

this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath 
promised thee, and that thou shouldst keep all 
his commandments. 

People. The Lord hath done great things 
for us, whereof we are glad. 

Leader. Know therefore that the Lord thy 
God he is God, the faithful God, which keep- 
eth covenant and mercy with them that love 
him and keep his commandments, to a thou- 
sand generations. 

People. The Lord hath done great things 
for us, whereof we are glad. 

Leader. Keep, therefore, and do them : for 
this is your wisdom and your understanding 
in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all 
these statutes and say, Surely this great nation 
is a wise and understanding people. 

People. The Lord hath done great things for 
us, whereof we are glad. 

Leader. Blessed is the nation whose God is 
the Lord. 

People. come, let us worship and how 
down : let us kneel before the Lord our maker, 
for he is our God. 

DANGERS OF DISOBEDIENCE. 

Leader. Behold I set before you this day a 
blessing and a curse : a curse if ye will not obey 
the commandments of the Lord your God, but 
turn aside out of the way which I command 
3^ou this day. The wicked shall be turned 
into hell, and all the nations that forget God. 



122 ANNIVERSARY OCCASIONS. 

People. For the nation and kingdom that 
will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those 
nations shall be utterly wasted. 

Leader. But thou shalt say unto them, This 
is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the 
Lord their God. 

People. But if they will not obey. I will 
utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith 
the Lord. 

Leader. Moreover I will make thee waste 
and a, reproach among the nations that are 
round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by. 

People. So will not we go back from thee : 
quicken us and we will call upon thy name. 

BLESSINGS UPON THE GODLY NATION. 

Leader. Blessed is the people that know 
the joyful sound. They shall walk, Lord, 
in the light of thy countenance. 

People. For his mercy endureth forever. 

Leader. My tabernacle also shall be with 
them : yea, I will be their God, and they shall 
be my people. 

People. For his mercy endureth forever. 

Leader. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do 
them good, and I will plant them in this land 
assuredly with my whole heart, and with my 
whole soul. 

People. For his mercy endureth forever. 

Leader. And all these blessings shall come 
on thee and overtake thee it" thou shalt hearken 
unto the voice of the Lord thy God. 



FOURTH OF JULY. 123 

People. For his mercy en dure th forever. 

Leader. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, 
and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed 
shalt thou be when thou comes t in and blessed 
shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Lord 
shall xommand the blessing upon thee in thy 
store-houses, and in all that thou settest thine 
hand unto ; and he shall bless thee in the land 
which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 

People. For his mercy endure th forever. 

Leader. And all the people of the earth shall 
see that thou art called by the name of the 
Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. 

People. For his mercy endureth forever. 

Leader. Now therefore if ye will obey my 
voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye 
shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all 
people, for all the earth is mine. 

People. For his mercy -endureth forever. 

Leader. And I will walk among you and 
will be your God, and ye shall be my people. 

People. For his mercy endureth forever. 

PRAYER FOR OUR NATION. 

Leader. The Lord reigneth, let the people 
tremble. 

People. He sitteth between the cherubim; 
let the earth be moved. 

Leader. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling- 
place in all generations. 

People. Before the mountains were brought 



124 ANNIVERSARY OCCASIONS. 

forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and 
the world, even from everlasting to everlasting 
thou art God. 

Leader. God be merciful unto us and bless . 
us, and cause his face to shine upon us. 

People. That thy way may be known upon 
earth, thy saving health among all nations. 

Leader. Save thy people, and bless thine 
inheritance. 

People. Save, Lord ! Let the king hear us 
when we call. 

Leader. There is no king saved by the mul- 
titude of an host: a, mighty man is not deliv- 
ered by much strength. 

People. And all this assembly shall know 
that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, 
for the battle is the Lord's. 

Leader. Now therefore, I pray thee, If I 
have found grace in* thy sight, show me now 
thy way that I may know thee, that I may 
find grace in thy sight, and consider that this 
nation is thy people. 

People. Yet they are thy people and thine in- 
heritance, which thou broughtest out by thy 
mighty power and by thy stretched-out arm. 

Leader. Spare thy people, Lord, and give 
not thine heritage to reproach. 

People. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of 
thy people; thou hast covered all their sin. 

Leader. Open ye the gates that the righteous 
nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 



FOURTH OF JULY. 125 

People. Thou hast increased the nation, 
Lord, thou hast increased the nation : thou art 
glorified : thou hast removed it far unto all the 
ends of the earth. 

Leader. Let the people praise thee, God, 
let all the people praise thee. 

People. Amen. Praise ye the Lord. 

CLOSING WORDS. 

Leader. Now therefore in the sight of all 
Israel, the congregation of the Lord and in 
the audience of our God, ke,ep and seek for all 
the commandments of the Lord your God; 
that ye may possess this good land', and leave 
it for an inheritance for your children after 
you forever. 

People: The Lord our God will we serve, 
and his voice will we obey with a perfect heart, 
and with a willing mind. 

Leader. What nation is there so great, that 
hath statutes and judgments so righteous as 
all this law, which T set before you this day? 

People. Blessed is the nation whose God is 
the Lord : and the people whom he hath chosen 
for his own inheritance. 

Leader. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee : 
the Lord, make his face shine upon thee, and 
be gracious unto thee : the Lord lift up his 
countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 

People. Amen, and Amen. 



126 SPECIAL TIMES. 

CHAPTER IX. 
Special Times. 



FORMULA I. 

The Pastor's Farewell. 

AND now, brethren, y e kno w from the first day 
that I came among you, after what manner 
of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, 
patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came 
unto me, I have been with you at all seasons, 
serving the Lord with all humility of mind, 
and with many tears and temptations, which 
befell me. And how I, pressed in the spirit, 
testified that Jesus was Christ : and kept back 
nothing that was profitable unto you, but have 
showed you, and have taught you publicly, 
and from house to house, testifying repentance 
tow T ard God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

So being affectionately desirous of you, I 
was willing to have imparted unto you, not the 
Gospel of God only, but also my own soul, be- 
cause ye were dear unto me. For ye remem- 
ber, brethren, my labor and travail: for labor- 
ing night and day, because I would not be 
chargeable unto any of you, I preached unto 
you the Gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, 
and God also, how holily, and justly, and un- 



THE pastor's farewell. 127 

blamably I behaved myself among you that 
believe : as ye know how I exhorted, and com- 
forted, and charged every one of you as a 
father doth his children, that ye would walk 
worthy of God, who hath called you unto his 
kingdom and glory. These things have I 
spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 

Now God himself and our Father, and our 
Lord Jesus Christ, make you to increase and 
abound in love one toward another, and toward 
all men, even as I do toward you : to the end 
he may establish your hearts unblamable in 
holiness before God, even our Father, at the 
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his 
saints: and have good remembrance of me al- 
ways, desiring greatly to see me, as I also to 
see you. 

And now behold, I go bound in the spirit 
unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that 
shall befall me there : save that the Holy 
Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying, that 
bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of 
these things move me, neither count I my life 
clear unto myself, so that I might finish my 
course with joy, and the ministry which I have 
received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gos- 
pel of the grace of God. And now behold, I 
know that ye all, among whom I have gone 
preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my 
face no more. Wherefore I take you to record 
this day, that I am pure from the blood of all 

9 



128 SPECIAL TIMES. 

men, for I have not slimmed to declare unto 
you all the counsel of God. 

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to 
all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost 
hath made you overseers, to feed the Church 
of God, which he hath purchased with his own 
blood. For I know this, that after my de- 
parting shall grievous wolves enter in among 
you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own 
selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, 
to draw away disciples after them. Therefore 
watch, and remember, that by the space of 
three years I ceased not to warn every one 
night and day with tears. And be not carried 
about with divers and strange doctrines: for 
it is a good thing that the heart be established 
with grace; not with meats, which have not 
profited them that have been occupied therein. 

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, 
and to the word of his grace, which is able to 
build you up, and to give you an inheritance 
among all them which are sanctified. I have 
coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 
Neither did I eat any man's bread for nought; 
but in all things I have kept myself from be- 
ing burdensome unto you, and so will I keep 
myself. And I would very gladly spend and 
be spent for you; though the more abundantly 
I love you, the less I be loved. But be it so, 
I did not burden you. Yea, ye yourselves 
know, that these hands have ministered unto 



the pastor's farewell. 129 

iny necessities, and to them that were with me. 
I have showed you all things, how that so la- 
boring ye ought to support the weak, and to 
remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how 
he said, It is more blessed to give than to 
receive. 

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be 
of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace ; 
and the God of love and peace shall be with 
you. All the saints salute you. The grace 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, 
and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with 
you all. Amen. 

And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled 
down, and prayed with them all. And they 
all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and 
kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words 
which he spake, that they should see his face 
no more. Then Paul answered, What mean 
ye to weep, and to break mine heart? for I am 
ready not to be bound only, but also to die at 
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 
And when he would not be persuaded, they 
ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. 
And they accompanied him unto the ship, and 
he departed, and went into another place. 



130 SPECIAL TIMES. 

FORMULA II. 

Temperance. 

HEARKEN to the voice of the Lord thy 
God. Woe unto him that giveth his 
neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to to?, 
and inakest him drunken also, that thou mayest 
look on their nakedness ! Thou art filled with 
shame for glory: drink thou also, and the cup 
of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto 
thee and shameful spewing shall be on thy 
glory. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, 
and we will fill ourselves with strong drink: 
and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much 
more abundant. Do not drink wine nor strong 
drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, lest ye 
die : it shall be a statute forever throughout 
your generations. Be not among wine-bibbers ; 
among riotous eaters of flesh; for the drunk- 
ard and the glutton shall come to poverty : 
and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. 
And Eli said. How long wilt thou be 
drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 
Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink 
not wine, nor strong drink, and eat not any 
unclean thing. Wine is a mocker, strong drink 
is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby 
is not wise. It is not for kings, Lemuel, it 
is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes 
strong drink: lest they drink and forget the 



TEMPERANCE. 131 

law, and pervert the judgment of any of the 
afflicted. In the day of our king the princes 
have made him sick with bottles of wine; he 
stretched out his hand with scorners. Yea 
also, because he transgresseth by wirie, he is a 
proud man, neither keepeth at home, who en- 
large th his desire as hell, and is as death, and 
can not be satisfied, but gathereth unto him 
all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: 
for they have made ready their heart like an 
oven, while they lie in wait.: their baker 
sleepeth all the night; in the morning it 
burnetii as a flaming fire. Woe unto them 
that rise up early in the morning, that they 
may follow strong drink ; that continue until 
night, till w T ine inflame them! And the harp, 
and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, 
are in their feasts : but they regard not the 
work of the Lord, neither consider the opera- 
tion of his hands. Woe unto them that are 
mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to 
mingle strong drink : which justify the wicked 
for reward, and take away the righteousness 
of the righteous from him. 

Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, 
and the flame consumeth the chaff, -so their root 
shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall 
go up as dust : because they have cast away the 
law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word 
of the Holy One of Israel. Woe to the crown 
of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose 



132 SPECIAL TIMES. 

glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are 
on the head of the fat valleys of them that are 
overcome with wine ! And all the kings of the 
north, far and near, one with another, and all 
the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the 
face of the earth : and the king of Sheshach 
shall drink after them. 

Therefore thou shaft say unto them. Thus 
saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; 
Drink ye, and he drunken, and spew, and fall, 
and rise no more, because of the sword which 
I will send among you; for while they be 
fold en together as thorns, and while they are 
drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured 
as stubble fully dry. Awake, ye drunkards, 
and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, 
because of the new wine; for it is cutoff from 
your mouth. They that sit in the gate speak 
against me; and I am the song of the drunk- 
ards. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, 
and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes 
are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: 
their wine is the poison of dragons, and the 
cruel venom of asps. But they also have 
erred through wine, and through strong drink 
are out of the way ; the priest and the 
prophet have erred through strong drink, 
they are swallowed up of wine, they are out 
of the way through strong drink; they err in 
vision, they stumble in judgment. For all 



TEMPERANCE. 133 

tables are full of vomit and filthmess, so that 
there is no place clean. 

Who hath woe ? who hath sorrow ? who hath 
contentions? Who hath babbling? who hath 
wounds without cause? who hath redness of 
eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; 
they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not 
thou upon the wine when it is red; when it 
giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth 
itself aright. At the last it biteth like a ser- 
pent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes 
shall behold strange women, and thine heart 
shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt 
be as he that lieth down in the midst of the 
sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. 
They have stricken me, shalt thou sat/, and I 
was not sick; they have beaten m^andlioii 
it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it 
yet again. 

Whoredom and wine and new wine take 
away the heart. And be not drunk with 
wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the 
Spirit. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunk- 
ards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall in- 
herit the kingdom of God. Touch not; taste 
not; handle not; for in doing this thou shalt 
both save thyself, and hide a multitude of sins. 



134 SERVICES AT SICK BEDS. 

CHAPTER X. 

Services at Sick Beds. 

FORMULA I. 
An Aged Person. 

IN thee, Lord, do I put my trust; let me 
never be put to confusion. Deliver me in 
thy righteousness, and cause me to escape : 
incline thine ear unto me, and save me. Be 
thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may 
continually resort : thou hast given command- 
ment to save me; for thou art my rock and 
my fortress. Cast me not off in the time of 
old age;#forsake me not when my strength 
faileth. 

God, be not far from me : my God, 
make haste for my help. My breath is cor- 
rupt, my days are extinct, the grave is ready 
for me. But I will hope continually, and will 
yet praise thee more and more. My mouth 
shall show forth thy righteousness and thy 
salvation all the day; for I know not the num- 
bers thereof. 

God, thou hast taught me from my youth : 
and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous 
works. Now also when I am old and gray- 
headed, God, forsake me not. Lord, why 
hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted 



AN AGED PERSON. 135 

and ready to die : while I suffer thy terrors I 
am distracted. Thy tierce wrath goeth over me. 
Cast me not away from thy presence ; and take 
not thy Holy Spirit from me. Hide not thy 
face far from me ; put not thy servant away in 
anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, 
neither forsake me, God of my salvation. 

thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and 
not comforted, behold, God will not cast 
away a perfect one. Blessed be the Lord, 
which hath not left thee this day. And he 
shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a 
nourisher of thine old age. Fear not: for he 
hath said : I will never leave thee, nor for- 
sake thee : but he that endureth to the end 
shall be saved. For a small moment have I 
forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I 
gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face 
from thee for a moment ; but with everlasting 
kindness will I have mercy on thee. And 
even to thine old age I am he; and even to hoar 
hairs will I carry thee : I have made, and I will 
bear; even I will carry, and will deliver thee. 

Remember the former things of old : for I 
am God, and there is none else; / am God, 
and there is none like me, declaring the end 
from the beginning, and from ancient times 
the things that are not yet done, saying, My 
counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleas- 
ure. Sing unto the Lord, ye saints of his, 
and £>ive thanks at the remembrance of his 



136 SERVICES AT SICK BEDS. 

holiness. For his anger endureth but a mo- 
ment; in his favor is life: weeping may en- 
dure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee : the 
Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be 
gracious unto thee : the Lord lift up his coun- 
tenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Amen. 



FORMULA II. 

A Suffering Person. 

GRACE be to you and peace from God our 
Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the 
God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all 
our tribulation, that we ma}' be able to comfort 
them which are in any trouble by the comfort 
wherewith w T e ourselves are comforted of God. 
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, 
so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 
And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, 
that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so 
shall ye be also of the consolation. 

Beloved, think it not strange, concerning the 
fiery trial which is to try you, as though some 
strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, 
inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suf- 
ferings ; that, when his glory shall be revealed, 
ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If 



A SUFFERING PERSON. 137 

any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be 
ashamed; but let him glorify God on this be- 
half. Wherefore, let them that suffer accord- 
ing to the will of God, commit the keeping of 
their souls to Mm in well-doing, as unto a faith- 
ful Creator. 

Take the prophets, who have spoken in the 
name of the Lord, for an example of suffering 
affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count 
them happy which endure. Ye have heard of 
the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the 
Lord : that the Lord is very pitiful, and of ten- 
der mercy. Be ye also patient; patient in 
tribulation ; continuing instant in prayer; re- 
joicing in hope ; confirming the souls of the dis- 
ciples, and exhorting them to continue in the 
faith, and that we must through much tribula- 
tion enter into the kingdom of God. Establish 
your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draw- 
eth nigh. 

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our 
spirit, that we are the children of God : and if 
children, then heirs : heirs of God, and joint- 
heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with 
him, that we may be also glorified together. 
For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present 
time are not worthy to he compared with the 
glory which shall be revealed, in us. And we 
know that all things work together for good, 
to them that love God. 

And while he Avas speaking, behold a wo- 



138 SERVICES AT SICK BEDS. 

man, which was diseased with an issue of blood 
twelve years, came behind him, and touched 
the hem. of his garment. For she said within 
herself, If I may but touch his garment, I 
shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, 
and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of 
good comfort: thy faith hath made the whole. 
And the woman was made whole from that hour. 

And he was teaching in one of the syna- 
gogues on the Sabbath : and behold, there was a 
woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen 
years, and was bowed together, and could in no 
w 7 ise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, 
he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, 
thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he 
laid his hands on her: and immediately she 
was made straight, and glorified God. 

He that spared not his own Son, but deliv- 
ered him up for us all, how shall he not with 
him also freely give us all things? as it is 
written, Is any sick among you ? let him call 
for the elders of the Church ; and let them pray 
over him, anointing him with oil in the name 
of the Lord : and the prayer of faith shall save 
the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up ; and 
if he have committed sins, they shall be for- 
given him. Co nfess j/tf^r faults one to another, 
and pray one for another, that ye may be 
healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a 
righteous man availeth much. And the Lord 
is not slack concerning his promise, as some 



A CHRISTIAN. 139 

men count slackness; but is long-suffering to 
us ward, not willing that any should perish, but 
that all should come to repentance. 

Now therefore, return, Lord, and let it re- 
pent thee concerning thy servants. Show us 
thy mercy, Lord, and grant us thy salva- 
tion. Make us glad according to the days 
wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years 
wherein we have seen evil. And let the beauty 
of the Lord our God be upon us : and establish 
thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the 
work of our hands establish thou it. 



FORMULA III. 
A Christian. 

GRACE, mercy, and peace, from God the 
Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I 
thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers 
with pure conscience, that without ceasing I 
have remembrance of thee in my prayers 
night and day; greatly desiring to see thee, 
being mindful of thy tears, that I may be 
filled with joy.- 

In those days was Hezekiah sick unto 
death. And the prophet Isaiah Ihe son of 
Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus 
saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for 
thou shaft die, and not live. Then Hezekiah 
wept sore: and he turned his face to the wall, 



140 SERVICES AT SICK BEDS. 

and prayed unto the Lord, saying, I beseech 
thee, Lord, remember now how I have 
walked before thee in truth and with a perfect 
heart, and have done that which is good in thy 
sight. Lord God of my salvation, I have 
cried clay and night before thee : let my prayer 
come before thee: incline thine ear unto my 
cry ; for my soul is fall of troubles : and my 
life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am 
counted with them that go down into the pit; 
I am as a man that hath no strength. Thy 
wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast af- 
flicted me with all thy waves. Mine eye 
mourneth by reason of affliction : Lord, I have 
called daily upon thee, I have stretched out 
my hands unto thee. Lord, why hiclest thou 
thy. face from me? I am afflicted and ready 
to die: ivhile I suffer thy terrors I am dis- 
tracted. Let the sighing of the prisoner come 
before thee; according to the greatness of thy 
power preserve thou those that are appointed 
to die. Have mercy upon me, God, accord- 
ing to thy loving-kindness deliver my soul. 
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: 
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the 
bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 

And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone 
out into the middle court, that the word of 
the Lord came to him, saying, Turn again, 
and tell Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the 



I 



A CHASTENED PERSON. . 141 

God of David thy Father, I have heard thy 
prayer, I have seen thy tears : behold, I will 
heal thee: on the third day thou sha.lt go up 
unto the house of the Lord. 

Bless the Lord, my soul, and forget not 
all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine ini- 
quities; who healeth all thy diseases; who 
redeemeth thy life from destruction; who 
crowneth thee with loving-kindness and ten- 
der mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with 
good things ; so that thy youth is renewed like 
the eagle's. Bless the Lord, my soul : and 
all that is within me, Mess his holy name. 



FORMULA IV. 

A Chastened Person. 

OLORD, rebuke me notin thy wrath : neither 
chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For 
thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand 
presseth me sore. The?*e is no soundness in 
my flesh because of thine anger; neither is 
there any rest in my bones because of my sin. 
But blessed is the man whom thou chasten- 
est. Lord, and teachest him out of thy law. 
He is chastened with pain upon his bed, and 
the -multitude of his bones Avith strong pain: 
so that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul 
dainty meat. His flesh is consumed away, 
that it can not be seen; and his bones that 



142 SERVICES AT SICK BEDS. 

were not seen, stick out. Yea, his soul draw- 
eth near unto the grave. The Lord hath 
chastened me sore : but he hath not given me 
over unto death. I shall not die, but live, and 
declare the works of the Lord. 

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: 
be zealous therefore, and repent. Thou shalt 
also consider in thy heart, that as a man 
chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chas- 
ten eth thee : for whom the Lord loveth he 
chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he 
receiveth. If ye endure chastening, Grod deal- 
eth with you as with sons: for what son is he 
whom the father chasteneth not? Further- 
more, we have had fathers of our flesh which 
corrected us, and we gave them reverence : 
shall we not much rather be in subjection unto 
the Father of spirits, and live? For they 
verily for a, few days chastened us after their 
own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we 
might be partakers of his holiness. Now no 
chastening for the present seemeth to be joy- 
ous, but grievous : nevertheless, afterward it 
yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness 
unto them which are exercised thereby. Where- 
fore lift up the hands which hang down, and 
the feeble knees; and make straight paths for 
your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out 
of the way ; but let it rather be healed. 

Be patient therefore' unto the coming of the 
Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for 



A CHASTENED PERSON. 143 

the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long 
patience for it, until he receive the early and 
latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish 
your hearts : for the coming of the Lord draw- 
eth nigh. Take the prophets, who have spoken 
in the name of the Lord, for an example of 
suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, 
we count them happy which endure. Ye have 
heard of the patience of Job, and have seen 
the end of the Lord ; that the Lord is very 
pitiful, and of tender mercy. 

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. 
Is any merry ? let him sing psalms. Is any 
sick among you? let him call for the elders of 
the Church; and let them pray over him, 
anointing him with oil in the name of the 
Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the 
sick, and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if 
he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven 
him. Confess your faults one to another, and 
pray one for another, that ye may be healed. 
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous 
man availeth much. Brethren, if any of you 
do err from the truth, and one convert him ; 
let him know, that he which converteth the 
sinner from the error of his way shall save a 
soul from death, and shall hide a multitude 
of sins. 

10 



144 SERVICES AT SICK BEDS. 

FORMULA V: 
A Backslider. 

HAVE mercy upon me, God, according 
to thy loving-kindness: according unto 
the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out 
my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from 
mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my 
sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee 
only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy 
sight: that thou migh test be justified when thou 
speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean : 
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the 
bones ivhich thou hast broken may rejoice. 
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all 
mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, 
God ; and renew a right spirit within me. 
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take 
not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto 
me the joy of thy salvation : and uphold me 
with thy free Spirit. Then will I teach trans- 
gressors thy ways; and sinners shall be con- 
verted unto thee. Deliver me from blood- 
guiltiness, God, thou God of my salvation: 
and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy right- 
eousness. Lord, open thou my lips, and my 
mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou 



A BACKSLIDER. 145 

desires fc not sacrifice; else would I give it: 
thou delightest not in burnt-offering. The 
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken 
and a contrite heart, God, thou will not de- 
spise. My God, my God, why hast thou for- 
saken me ? ivhy art thou so far from helping me, 
and from the words of my roaring? 

Because of the wickedness of thy doings, 
whereby thou hast forsaken me. Thine own 
wickedness shall correct thee, and thy back- 
slidings shall reprove thee: know therefore 
and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that 
thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that 
my fear is not in thee. The backslider in heart 
shall be filled with his own ways. Return, ye 
backsliding children, andl will heal their back- 
sliding, I will love them freely : for I am mer- 
ciful, and I will not keep anger forever, saith 
the Lord of hosts. 

Lord, though our iniquities testify against 
us, do thou it for thy name's sake : for our 
backslidings are many ; we have sinned against 
thee, because we have forsaken thee. Behold, 
we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our 
God: and truly in the Lord our God is the 
salvation of Israel. Do good in thy good 
pleasure unto Zion : build thou the walls of 
Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with 
the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt-of- 
fering and whole burnt offering: then shall 
they offer bullocks upon thine altar. 



146 SERVICES AT SICK BEDS. 

FORMULA VI. 

Prayer for Recovery. 

OLOKD GOD of my salvation, I have cried 
day and night before thee : let my prayer 
come before thee : incline thine ear unto my 
cry; for my soul is full of troubles: and my 
life draweth nigh unto the grave. Thy wrath 
lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me 
with all thy waves. Be not far from me : for 
trouble is near: for there is none to help. 

Hear me, Lord ; for thy loving-kindness 
is good: turn unto me according to the multi- 
tude of thy tender mercies. And hide not 
thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble : 
hear me speedily. Remember not the sins of 
my youth, nor my transgressions : according 
to thy mercy remember thou me for thy good- 
ness' sake, Lord. Have mercy upon me, 

Lord, for I am in trouble : I am like a broken 
vessel. My heart is sore pained within me : 
and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 

1 am afflicted and read}' to die; while I suffer 
thy terrors I am distracted. 

Save me, God; for the waters are come 
in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where 
there is no standing: I am come into deep 
waters, where the floods overflow me. Deliver 
me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let 
me be delivered out of the deep waters. Let 



PRAYER FOR RECOVERY. 147 

not the water-flood overflow me, neither let 
the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit 
shut her mouth upon me. 

Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath; nei- 
ther chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For 
thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand 
presseth me sore. I am feeble and sore broken. 
Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my 
groaning is not hid from thee. Hear my 
prayer, Lord, and give ear unto my cry; 
hold not thy peace at my tears. 

Remove thy stroke away from me: for lam 
ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually 
before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; 
I will be sorry for my sin. Hide not thy face 
from me in the day when I am in trouble; in- 
cline thine ear unto me : in the day when I 
call, answer me speedily. For my days are 
consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned 
as an hearth. spare me, that I may recover 
strength, before I go hence, and be no more. 
my Father, if it be possible, let this cup 
pass from me : nevertheless, not as I will, but 
as thou wilt. 

FORMULA TIL 
On Recovering. 

IN those clays was Hezekiah sick unto death. 
And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz 
came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith 



148 SERVICES AT SICK BEDS. 

the Lord, Set thy house in order: for thou 
shalfc die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned 
his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the 
Lord, and said, Remember now, Lord, I be- 
seech thee, how I have walked before thee in 
truth, and with a perfect heart, and have clone 
that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah 
wept sore. 

Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, 
saying, Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith 
the Lord, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen 
thy tears : thy sickness is not unto death, but 
for the glory of God, that the Son of God 
might be glorified thereby: behold, I will 
heal thee: and I will add unto thy days fif- 
teen years. 

And this is the writing of Hezekiah king 
of Judah, when he had been sick, and was 
recovered of his sickness: for indeed he was 
sick nigh unto death : but God had mercy on 
him; I said in the cutting off of my days, I 
shall go to the gates of the grave: I am de- 
prived of the residue of my years. I said, 
I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in 
the land of the living: I shall behold man 
no more with the inhabitants of the world. 
Mine age is departed, and is removed from me 
as a, shepherd's tent: he will cut me off with 
pining sickness. I reckoned till morning, that, 
as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from 
day even to night wilt thou make an end of 



ON RECOVERING. 149 

me. Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chat- 
ter: I did mourn as a dove : mine eyes fail 
with looking upward : Lord, I am oppressed; 
undertake for me. Lord, by these things 
men live, and in all these things is the life of 
my spirit : so wilt thou recover me and make 
me to live. Behold, for peace I had great 
bitterness : but thou hast in love to my soul 
delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou 
hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For 
the grave can not praise thee, death can not 
celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit 
can not hope for thy truth. The living, the 
living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day. 

I will extol thee, Lord; for thou hast 
lifted me up, and hast not made m}^ foes to 
rejoice over me. Lord my God, I cried 
unto thee, and thou hast healed me. Lord, 
thou hast brought up my soul from the grave : 
thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go 
down to the pit. Thou hast turned for me my 
mourning into dancing: (hou hast put off my 
sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to 
the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, 
and not be silent. Lord my God, I will 
give thanks unto thee forever. For great is 
thy mercy toward me : and thou hast deliv- 
ered my soul from the lowest hell. The sor- 
rows of death compassed me, and the pains of 
hell gat hold upon me : I found trouble and 
sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the 



150 SERVICES AT SICK BEDS. 

Lord; Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my 
soul. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; 
yea, our God is merciful. For thou hast de- 
livered my soul from death, mine eyes from 
tears, and my feet from falling. 

Bless the Lord, my soul : and all that is 
within me, bless his holy name. Bless the 
Lord, my soul, and forget not all his ben- 
efits : who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who 
healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy 
life from destruction; who crowneth thee with 
loving-kindness and tender mercies; who sat- 
isfieth thy mouth with good things; so that 
thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. 

What shall I render unto the Lord for all 
his benefits toward me? I will take the cup 
of salvation, and call upon the name of the 
Lord. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of 
thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of 
the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord 
now in the presence of all his people, in the 
courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of 
thee, Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord. 



A MINISTER. 151 

CHAPTER XL 

Services at Funerals. 



FORMULA I. 

A Minister. 

NOW Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness 
whereof he died. And Joash the king 
of Israel came clown unto him, and \vept over 
his face, and said, my father, my father! the 
chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! 
And Elisha died, and they buried him. Mark 
the perfect man, and behold the upright: for 
the end of that man is peace : and he being 
dead yet speak eth. 

And Moses did as the Lord commanded : 
and they went up into mount Hor in the sight 
of all the congregation. And Moses stripped 
Aaron of his garments, and put them upon 
Eleazar his son ; and Aaron died there in the 
top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar 
came cloAvn from the mount. And when all 
the congregation saw that Aaron was dead 
they mourned for him thirty days, even all the 
house of Israel. Let me die the death of the 
righteous, and let my last end be like his. 

And Samuel died: and all the Israelites 
were gathered together, and lamented him, and 



152 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

buried him in his house at Ramah; and they 
mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! 

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, 
whose name was Simeon; and the same man 
tvas just and devout, waiting for the consola- 
tion of Israel : and the Holy Ghost was upon 
him. And he blessed God, and said, Lord, 
now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, 
according to thy word: for mine eyes have 
seen thy salvation. I will both lay me down 
in peace, and sleep: for thou. Lord, only 
makest me dwell in safety. Yea, though 
I walk through the valley of the shadow of 
death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with 
me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 
For I am now ready to be offered, and the 
time of my departure is at hand. I have fought 
a good fight, I have finished my course, I have 
kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for 
me a, crown of righteousness, which the Lord, 
the righteous Judge, shall give meat that day : 
and not to me only, but unto all them also that 
love his appearing. He that hath an ear, let 
him hear what the Spirit saith; To him that 
overconieth will I give to eat of the tree of 
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of 
God. There the wicked cense from troubling : 
and there the weary be at rest. 

Be thou therefore faithful unto death, and I 
will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou 
shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace, and 



A MINISTER. 153 

I will give thee a crown of life. Well done, 
good and faithful servant : thou bast been faith- 
ful over a few things, I will make thee ruler 
over many things: enter thou into the joy of 
thy lord : for where I am, there shall also my 
servant be. 

And I beard a voice from heaven saying unto 
me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in 
the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the 
Spirit, that (hey may rest from their labors; 
and their works do follow them. Precious in 
the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints : 
on such the second death hath no power, but 
the}^ shall be priests of God and of Christ, and 
shall reign with him forever and ever. And 
the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne 
shall feed them, and shall lead them unto 
living fountains of waters : and God shall 
wipe away all tears from their eyes. 

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you 
always in remembrance of them who have 
spoken unto you the word of God : whose faith 
follow, considering the end of their conversa- 
tion: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and 
to-day, and forever ; looking for that blessed 
hope, and the glorious appearing of the great 
God and our Savior Jesns Christ; that when 
the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall re- 
ceive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 



154 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

FORMULA II. 

A Public Man. 

IT is better to trust in the Lord, than to put 
confidence in princes. Put not your trust 
in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there 
is no help. His breath goeth forth, he return- 
eth to his earth : in that very day his thoughts 
perish. He cometh forth like a flower, and is 
cut down : he fleeth also as a shadow, and 
continueth not. For behold the Lord, the 
Lord of hosts, doth take away the mighty 
man, and the man of war, the judge, and the 
prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, the 
captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and 
the counselor, and the cunning artificer, and 
the eloquent orator. 

And it came to pass on. the third day, that 
behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul 
with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head : 
and he dime to David, and said unto him, Saul 
and Jonathan his son are dead. And David 
lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and 
over Jonathan his son : The beauty of Israel 
is slain upon thy high places: how are the 
mighty fallen ! Saul and Jonathan were lovely 
and pleasant in their lives, and in their death 
they were not divided : they were swifter than 
eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye 
daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who 



A PUBLIC MAN. 155 

clothed von in scarlet; who put on ornaments 
of gold upon your apparel. How are the 
mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! 
Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan : 
very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy 
love to me was wonderful, passing the love of 
women. How are the mighty fallen, and the 
weapons of war perished! 

Then Joab came to the king, and said, What 
hast thou done ? behold, Abner came unto thee ; 
why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he 
is quite gone? Thou knowest Abner, that he 
came to deceive thee. And Joab sent mes- 
sengers after Abner, but David knew it not. 
And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab 
took him aside in the gate to speak with him 
quietly, and smote him there under the fifth 
rib that he died, for the blood of Asahel his 
brother. And when David heard it, he said, 
I and my kingdom are guiltless before the 
Lord forever from the blood of Abner the son 
of Ner: let it rest on the head of Joab, and 
on all his father's house. And David said to 
Joab, and to all the people that were with 
him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with 
sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And 
King David himself followed the bier. And 
they buried Abner in Hebron : and the king- 
lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of 
Abner; and all the people wept. And the 



156 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

king lamented overAbner, and said, Died Ab- 
ner as a. fool dieth ? Thy hands were not bound, 
nor thy feet put into fetters : as a man falleth 
before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all 
the people wept again over him. And the 
king said unto his servants, Know ye not that 
there is a prince and a great man fallen this 
day in Israel? And I am this day weak, 
though anointed king. 

And when Saul's son heard that Abner was 
dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all 
the Israelites were troubled. For God ac- 
cepteth not the persons of princes, nor regard- 
eth the rich more than the poor? for they all 
are the work of his hands. In a moment shall 
they die, and the people shall be troubled at 
midnight, and pass away : and the mighty shall 
be taken away without hand. It is he that 
sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the 
inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers ; that 
bringeth the princes to nothing; he makelh the 
judges of the earth as vanity. He is terrible 
to the kings of the earth. They are exalted 
for a, little while, but are gone and brought 
low ; they are taken out of the way as all other, 
and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn. 

So man lieth clown, and wasteth away: yea, 
man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 
Till the heavens be no more, they shall not 
awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. If a 
man die, shall he live again? He shall rise 



A PUBLIC MAN. 157 

again in the resurrection at the last day. Mar- 
vel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the 
which all that are in the graves shall hear his 
voice, and shall come forth; they that have 
done good, unto the resurrection of life; and 
they that have done evil, unto the resurrec- 
tion of damnation. 

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand 
before God; and the books were opened : and 
another book was opened, which is the book of 
life: and the dead were judged out of those 
things which were written in the books, accord- 
ing to their works. And he saith unto me, 
Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this 
book : for the time is at hand. He that is un- 
just, let him be unjust still : and he which is 
filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is right- 
eous, let him be righteous still: and he that is 
holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I come 
quickly; and my reward is with me, to give 
every man according as his work shall be. 
Therefore be ye also ready : for in such an hour 
as ye think not, the Son of man cometh. 

Now unto him that is able to keep you from 
falling, and to present you faultless before the 
presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to 
the only wise Grod our Savior, be glory and 
majesty, dominion and power, both now and 
ever. Amen. 



158 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

FORMULA III. 
An Aged Person. 

LORD, thou hast been our dwelling-place in 
all generations. Before the mountains 
were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed 
the earth and the world, even from everlasting 
to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest 
man to destruction ; and say est, Return, ye 
children of men. For all our days are passed 
away in thy wrath : we spend our years, as a 
tale that is told. The days of our years are 
threescore years and ten ; and if by reasomof 
strength they he fourscore years, yet is their 
strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut 
off, and Ave fly away. For a thousand years in 
thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, 
and as a, watch in the night. God, thou hast 
taught me from my youth : and hitherto have 
I declared thy wondrous works. Now also 
when I am old and grayheaded, God, forsake 
me not. Cast me not off in the time of old 
age : forsake me not when my strength faileth. 
Fear thou not: for I am with thee: be not 
dismayed ; for I am thy God ; I will strengthen 
thee ; yea, I will help thee ; yea, I will uphold 
thee with the right hand of my righteousnesss. 
And even to your old age I am he; and even to 
hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and 
I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver 



AN AGED PERSON. 159 

you. Those that be planted in the house of the 
Lord shall flourish in the courts of our Grod. 
They shall bring forth fruit in old age ; they 
shall be fat and flourishing. 

After these things the word of the Lord 
came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, 
Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding 
great reward. The hoary head is a crown of 
glory, if it be found in the way of righteous- 
ness : and thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace ; 
thou shalt be buried in a good old age. Then 
Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good 
old age, an old man, and full of years ; and 
was gathered to his people. And his sons 
Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of 
Machpelah: there was Abraham buried and 
Sarah his wife. 

And the days of Isaac were an hundred and 
fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the ghost 
and died, and was gathered unto his people, 
being old and full of days ; and his sons Esau 
and Jacob buried him: 

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die; 
and God will surely visit you, and bring you 
out of this land, unto the land which he sware 
to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. So Joseph 
died, being an hundred and ten years old : and 
they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin 
in Egypt. 

Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness 
whereof he died. And Joash the king of 
11 



160 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

Israel came down unto him, and wept over his 
lace, and said, my father, my father! Ihe 
chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof! 
And Elisha died, and they buried him. 

But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of 
days Avhen he died ; an hundred and thirty 
years old tvas he when he died. And they 
buried him in the city of David among the 
kings, because he had done good in Israel, both 
toward God, and toward his house. 

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and 
shaved his head, and fell down upon Ihe 
ground, and worshiped,- and said, The Lord 
gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed 
be ihe name of the Lord. 

But I would not have you to be ignorant, 
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, 
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have 
no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died 
and rose again, even so them also which sleep 
in Jesus will God bring with him. For this 
we say unto you by the word of the Lord, 
that we which are alive and remain unto the 
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them 
which are asleep. For the Lord himself 
shall descend from heaven with a, shout, with 
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump 
of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 
then we which are alive and remain shall be 
caught up together with them in the clouds, 
to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we 



AN AGED SAINT. 161 

ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort 
one another with these words. 



FORMULA IV, 

An Aged Saint. 

THE righteous shall flourish like the palm- 
tree : he shall grow like a cedar in Leb- 
anon : and he shall bring forth fruit in old 
age. The hoary head is a crown of glory, 
if it be found in the way of righteousness. 
Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and 
honor the face of the old man, and fear thy 
God : I am the Lord. Thou shalt come to thy 
grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn 
cometh in in his season. "And even to your old 
age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I 
carry you : I have made, and I will bear : even 
I will carry, and will deliver you. Yea., though 
I walk through the valley of the shadow of 
death, I will fear no evil : for thou art with 
me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace ; 
thou shalt be buried in a good old age. So 
Job died, being old and full of days. 

Now the days of David drew nigh that he 
should die : and he charged Solomon his son, 
saying, I go the way of all the earth : be thou 
strong therefore, and show thyself a man ; and 
keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk 



162 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his com- 
mandments, and his judgments, and his testi- 
monies. So David slept with his fathers, and 
was buried in the city of David. 

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did 
great wonders and miracles among the people: 
and all that sat in the council, looking stead- 
fastly on him, saw his face as it had been the 
face of an angel. Then there arose certain of 
the synagogue, disputing with Stephen: and 
they were not able to resist the wisdom and 
the spirit by M 7 hich he spake: and they were 
cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with 
their teeth; and the} r stoned Stephen, calling 
upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my 
spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with 
a loud voice, Lord, *lay not this sin to their 
charge. And when he had said this, he fell 
asleep. And devout men carried Stephen to his 
burial, and made great lamentation over him. 

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, 
whose name was Sinieon ; and the same man 
was just and devout, waiting for the consola- 
tion of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was upon 
him. And it was revealed unto him by the 
Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, be- 
fore he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he 
came by the Spirit into the temple; and when 
the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do 
for him after the custom of the law, then took 
he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and 



AN AGED SAINT. 163 

said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant de- 
part in peace, according to thy word; for mine 
eyes have -seen thy salvation. 

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple 
named Tabitha, which by interpretation is 
called Dorcas ; this woman was full of good 
works and almsdeeds which she did. And it 
came to pass in those days, that she was sick, 
and died: whom when they had washed, they 
laid her in an upper chamber. And forasmuch 
as Lvdda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples 
had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto 
him two men, desiring him that he would not 
delay to come to them. Then Peter arose, 
and went with them. When he was come, 
they brought him into the upper chamber ; 
and all the widows stood by him weeping, 
and showing the coats and garments which 
Dorcas made, while she was with them. 

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the 
daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser : she 
was of great age, and had lived with an hus- 
band seven years from her virginity ; and she 
ivas a widow of about fourscore and four years, 
which departed not from the temple, but 
served God with fastings and prayers night 
and day. 

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the 
death of his saints. Let me die the death of 
the righteous, and let my last end be like his! 
And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto 



164 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 



me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die 
in the Lord from henceforth: Yen, saitli the 
Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; 
and their works do follow them. There the 
wicked cease from troubling; and there the 
weary be at rest. For the Lamb, which is in 
the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and 
shall lead them unto living fountains of waters ■: 
and God shall wipe away all tears from 
their eyes. 






FORMULA V. 
A Father. 

NOW Eiisha was fallen sick of his sick- 
ness whereof he died. And Joash the 
king of Israel came down unto him, and 
wept over his face, and said, my father, 
my father! the chariot of Israel, and the 
horsemen thereof! And Eiisha died, and they 
buried him. 

And it came to pass after these things, that 
one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick : 
and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh 
and Ephraim. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, 
How old art thou? And Jacob said unto 
Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrim- 
age are a hundred and thirty years : few and 
evil have (he days of the years of my life 
been, and have not attained unto the days of 
the years of the life of my fathers in the days 



A FATHER. 165 

of their pilgrimage. And the time drew nigh 
thai Jacob must die: and he was very old; 
his eyes also were dim for age, so that he could 
not see ; and he called his son Joseph. And 
one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Jo- 
seph cometh unto thee. And Jacob strength- 
ened himself, and sat upon the bed. 

And Jacob said unto Joseph, Behold I die; 
bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: but I will 
lie with my fathers; and thou shalt carry me 
out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying- 
place. And he said, I will do as thou hast 
said. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a, full 
age, like as a, shock of corn cometh in in his 
season. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in 
peace; thou shalt be buried in a. good old age. 
And Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed 
both the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, lean- 
ing upon the top of his staff. And when Ja- 
cob had made an end of commanding his sons, 
he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded 
up the ghost, and was gathered unto his peo- 
ple. And Joseph fell upon his father's face, 
and wept upon him and kissed him: and the 
Egyptians mourned for him threescore and 
ten days. 

And Joseph went up to bury his father : and 
with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, 
the elders of his house, and all the elders of the 
land of Egypt, and all the house of Joseph, 
and his brethren, and his father's house : and 



166 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

it was a very great company: and they came 
to the threshing-floor of Atad, and there they 
mourned with a great and very sore lamenta- 
tion : and he made a mourning for his father 
seven days. And when the inhabitants of the 
land saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, 
they said, This is a grievous mourning to tlie 
Egyptians. And his sons carried him into the 
land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of 
the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought 
for a burying-place of Ephron the Hittite, be- 
fore Mamre. And Joseph returned into Egypt, 
he and his brethren, and all that went up with 
him to bury his father. 

This day is a day of trouble. We mourn 
sore like doves : for we are orphans and father- 
less, our mothers are as widows, and the mourn- 
ers go about the streets. Nevertheless God, 
that comforteth those that are cast down, com- 
forteth us in all our tribulation, as one that 
comforteth the mourners. Tie will not always 
chide: neither will he keep his anger forever. 
Like as a. father pitieth his children, so the 
Lord pitieth them that fear him. He relieveih 
the fatherless and widow. Leave thy father- 
less children, I will preserve them alive; and 
let thy widows trust in me. A father of the 
fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God 
in his holy habitation: for he hath said. I will 
never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Evn eas 
David also saith of him : But thou, Lord, 



A CHILD. 167 

art the helper of the fatherless : for in thee 
the fatherless fiudeth mercy. 

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and 
edify one another, even as also ye do. 



FORMULA YI. 
A Child. 

MAN- that is born of a. woman is of few days, 
and full of trouble. He cometh forth like 
a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a 
shadow, and continueth not. His days are as 
a shadow that passeth away. Thou makest 
his beauty to consume away like a moth. For 
what is life? It is even a vapor, that appear- 
eth for a little time, and then Vanisheth away. 
And it came to pass, when I heard these 
words,that I sat down and wept. Then was 
fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy 
the prophet, saying, In Hama was there a 
voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and 
great mourning, Rachel weeping for her chil- 
dren, and would not be comforted, because 
they are not. I have lost my children, and 
am desolate, a captive, and removing to and 
fro. Behold I was left alone; they' were as 
the grass of the field, and as the green herb, 
as the grass on the house-tops, and as corn 
blasted before it be grown up. And she went, 
and sat her down over against him a good way 



168 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me 
not see the death of the child. And she sat over 
against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept. 
David therefore besought God for the child; 
and David fasted, and went in, and lay all 
night upon the earth. And the elders of his 
house arose, and went to him, to raise him up 
from the earth: but he would not, neither did 
he eat bread with them. And it came to pass 
on the seventh day, that the child died. And 
the servants of David feared to tell him that 
the child was dead.: for they said, Behold, 
while the child was yet alive, we spake unto 
him, and he would not hearken unto our voice : 
how will he then vex himself, if we tell him 
that the child is dead? But when David saw 
that his servants whispered, David perceived 
that the child was dead : therefore David said 
unto his servants, Is the child dead? and they 
said, He is dead. Then David arose from the 
earth, and washed, and anointed himself) and 
changed his apparel, and came into the house 
of the Lord, and worshiped: then he came to 
his own house; and when he required, they 
set bread before him, and he did eat. Then 
.said his servants unto him, What thing is this 
that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep 
for the child while it was alive; but when the 
child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 
And he said, While the child was yet alive, I 
fasted and wept: for I said, Who can fell 






A CHILD. 169 

ivhether God will be gracious to me, that the 
child may live? But now he is dead, where- 
fore should I fast ? can I bring him back again? 
I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 

And when the child was grown, it fell on a 
day, that he went out (o his father to the 
reapers. And he said unto his father, My 
head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry 
him to his mother. And when he had taken 
him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on 
her knees till noon, and then died. And she 
went up, and laid him on the bed of the man 
'of God, and shut the door upon him, and went 
out. And she called unto her husband, and 
said, Send me, I pray the.e, one of the young 
men, and one of the asses, that I may run to 
the man of God, and come again. And he 
said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day ? it 
is neither new moon, nor Sabbath. "And she 
said, It shall be well. So she went and came 
unto the man of God to mount Ca.rmel. And 
it came to pass, when the man of God saw her 
afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Be- 
hold, yonder is that Shuiiammite : run now, I 
pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it 
well with thee? is it well with thy husband? 
is it well with the child ? And she answered, 
It is well. 

And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, 
and came to Tirzah : and when she came to the 
threshold of the door, the child died. And 



170 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

when Elisha was come into the house, behold, 
the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. 
And they buried him; and all Israel mourned 
for him, according to the word of the Lord, 
which he spake by the hand of his servant 
Ahijah the prophet. 

And Jacob their father said unto them. Me 
have ye bereaved of my children : Joseph is 
not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Ben- 
jamin aivay : all these things are against me. 
And he said, My son shall not go down with 
you ; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone : 
if mischief befall him by the way in the which 
ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs 
Avith sorrow to the grave. 

Then were there brought unto him lit lie 
children, that he should put his hands on them, 
and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid 
them not, to come unto me: for of such is the 
kingdom of heaven. Verily I say unto you, 
Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of 
God as a, little child, he shall not enter therein. 
And he took them up in his arms, putt's hands 
upon them, and blessed (hem. Take heed that 
ye despise not one of these little ones: for I 
say unto you, That in heaven their angels do 
always behold the face of my Father which is 
in heaven. Even so it is not the will of your 
Father which is in heaven, that one of these 
little ones should perish. 



A HUSBAND. 171 

FORMULA VII. 
A Husband. 

NOW it came to pass in the days when the 
judges ruled, that there was a famine in 
the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem- 
jndah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, 
he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the 
name of the man tvas Elimelech, and the name 
of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two 
sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth- 
lehem-judah. And they came into the coun- 
try of Moab, and continued there. And Elime- 
lech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, 
and her two sons. And they took them wives 
of the women of Moab; the name of the one 
was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth : 
and they dwelled there about ten years. And 
Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; 
and the woman was left of her two sons and 
lier husband. Then she arose with her daugh- 
ter-in-law, that she might return from the coun- 
try of Moab : for she had heard in the country 
of Moab how that the Lord had visited his peo- 
ple in giving them bread. 

So they two went until they came to Beth- 
lehem. And it came to pass, when they were 
come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved 
about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 
And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, 



172 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt 
very bitterly with me. I went out full, and 
the Lord hath brought me home again empty: 
why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord 
hath testified against me, and the Almighty 
hath afflicted me? 

Now there cried a certain woman of the 
wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, 
saying, Thy servant my husband is dead ; and 
thou knowest that thy servant did fear the 
Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto 
him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha. 
said unto her, The Lord is merciful and gra- 
cious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 
He doth execute the judgment of the father- 
less and widow, and loveth the stranger, in 
giving him food and raiment. Leave thy father- 
less children, I will preserve them alive; and 
let thy widows trust in me. 

And when the wife of Uriah heard that 
Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for 
her husband. And the king said unto her, 
What aileth thee? And she answered, I am 
indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is 
dead. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust 
also in him ; for thy Maker is thy husband : the 
Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer 
the Holy One of Israel; and he will establish 
the border of the widow. 

Having therefore these promises, dearly be- 
loved. Waif on the Lord : be of good courage, 



A WIFE. 173 

and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I 
say/ on the Lord, The Lord Jesus Christ be 
with thy spirit. Amen. 



FORMULA Till. 
A Wife. 

TO every thing there is a season, and a time 
to every purpose under the heaven ; a time 
to be born, and a time to die; a time to weep, 
and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a 
time to rejoice. And as it is appointed unto 
men once to die, both the great and the small 
shall die in this land. 

And in process of time, the daughter of 
Shuah, Judah's wife died : and Judah was 
comforted. 

Also the word of the Lord came unto me, 
saying, Son of man, behold, I take away from 
thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke : 
yet neither sha.lt thou mourn nor weep, neither 
shall thy tears run down. Forbear to cry, 
make no mourning for the dead. So I spake 
unto the people in the morning: and at even 
my wife died; and I did in the morning as I 
was commanded. I behaved myself as though 
she had been my friend or brother : I bowed 
down heavily, as one that mourneth for his 
mother. 

And as for me, when I came from Padan, 



174 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

Rachel died by mc in the land of Canaan in 
the way, when yet there was but a little way 
to come unto Ephrath : and I buried her there 
in the way of Ephrath, the same is Beth- 
lehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her 
grave : that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto 
this day. 

And Sarah was an hundred and seven and 
twenty years old : these ivere the years of the 
life of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kirjath- 
arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Ca- 
naan : and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, 
and to weep for her. And Abraham stood up 
from before his dead, and spake unto the sons 
of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a so- 
journer, with you: give me a possession of a 
burying-place with you, that I may bury my 
dead out of my sight; hear me, and entreat 
for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, that he 
may give me the cave of Machpelah, which is 
in the end of his field. And Ephron answered 
Abraham, saying unto him, My lord, hearken 
unto me: bury there thy dead. And after 
this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the 
cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre. 
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death 
of his saints. ' 

But I would not have you to be ignorant, 
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, 
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have 
no hope; for they shall rise again in the res- 



A SON. 175 

urrection at the last day. For the Lord him- 
self shall descend from heaven with a shout, 
with the voice of the archangel, and with the 
trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall 
rise first : then we which are alive and remain 
shall be caught up together with them in the 
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air : and so 
shall we ever be with the Lord. 

Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel: 
Go thou thy way till the end be: for thou 
shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of 
the days. 

FORMULA IX. 
A Son. 

MAN that is born of a woman is of few days, 
and full of trouble. He cometh forth like 
a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a 
shadow, and continue th not. I said, my 
God, take me not away in the midst of my 
days : thy years are throughout all generations. 
But he weakened my strength in the way; he 
shortened my days. 

And it came to pass, after these things, that 
the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, 
fell sick ; and his sickness was so sore, that. there 
was no breath left in him. And she said unto 
Elijah, What have I to do with thee, thou man 
of God ? art thou come unto me to call my sin to 
remembrance, and to slay my son ? Jesus said 



] 76 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

unto her, I am t lie resurrection, anil ihe life: 
he that believe! h in me, (hough he were Head, 
yet shall lie live: and whosoever liveth and 
helieveth in me shall never die. Believest 
thou this? She said unto him, Yea, Lord: 
I believe that he shnll rise again in the resur- 
rection at the last day. 

And it en me to pass the day after, that he 
went into a city called Nain : and many of his 
disciples went with him, and much people. 
Now when he came nigh to the gate of the 
city, behold, there was a, dead man carried 
out, the only son of his mother, and she was 
a widow: and much people of the city was 
with her. And when the Lord saw her, he 
had compassion on her. 

And behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, 
Tidings, my lord the king: for the Lord hath 
avenged thee this day of all them that rose 
up against thee. And the king said unto 
Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe ? And 
Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the 
king, and all that rise against thee to do thee 
hurt, be as that young man is. And the king 
was much moved, and went up to the chamber 
over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus 
he said, my son Absalom ! my son, my son 
Absalom ! would God I had died for thee, 
Absalom, my son, my son ! 

And it came to pass after these things, that 
God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, 



A SON. 177 

Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only 
so7i Isaac, whom thou lovest. and get thee into 
the land of Mori ah ; and offer him there for 
a burnt offering upon one of the mountains 
which I will tell thee of. And Jacob rent his 
clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and 
mourned for his son many days. And all his 
sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort 
him; but he refused to be comforted; and he 
said, For I will go down into the grave unto 
my son mourning. Thus his father wept 
for him. 

But now thus saith the Lord that created 
thee, Jacob, and he that formed thee, Is- 
rael, Fear not: for if we believe that Jesus 
died and rose again, even so them also which 
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For 
we know that if our earthly house of this tab- 
ernacle were dissolved, we have a building of 
God, a house not made with hands, eternal in 
the heavens. There the wicked cease from 
troubling; and there the weary be at rest. 

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the 
Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be 
gracious unto thee : the Lord lift up his counte- 
nance upon thee, and give thee peace. 



178 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

FORMULA X. 

A Daughter. 

THEN the Spirit of the Lord came upon 
Jephthah. and Jephthah vowed a vow unto 
the Lord, and said, If thou shn.lt without fail 
deliver the children of Amnion into mine hands, 
then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth 
of the doors of my house to meet me, when I 
return in peace from the children of Amnion, 
shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it 
up for a, burnt offering. And the children of 
Amnion were subdued before the children of 
Israel. 

And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his 
house, and behold his daughter came out to 
meet him with timbrels and with dances: and 
she ivas his only child; beside her he had 
neither son nor daughter. And it came to 
pass, when he saw her, that lie rent his clothes, 
and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought 
me very low, and thou art one of them that 
trouble me: fori have opened my mouth unto 
the Lord, and I can not go back. And she 
said unto her father, Let this thing be done 
for me : Let me alone two months, that I may 
go up and down upon the mountains, and be- 
wail my virginity, land my fellows. And he 
said, Go. And she went with her compan- 
ions, and bewailed her virginity upon the 



A DAUGHTER. 179 

mountains. And it came to pass at the end 
of two months, that she returned unto her 
father, who did with her according to his vow 
which he had vowed. And it was a custom 
in Israel, that the daughters of Israel went 
yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah 
the Gileadite four days in a year. 

And behold, there came a man named Jairus, 
and he was a ruler of the synagogue : and he 
fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that 
he would come into his house : for he had one 
only daughter, about twelve years of age, and 
she lay a dying. But as he went, the people 
thronged him. While he yet spake, there 
conieth one from the ruler of the synagogue's 
house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead : 
trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard 
it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe 
only. And all wept and bewailed her. 

And while they mourned and wept, behold, 
there came a certain ruler, and worshiped him, 
saying, My daughter is even now dead : but 
come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall 
live. And Jesus arose, and followed him. 
And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, 
and saw the minstrels and the people making a 
noise, and them that wept. and wailed greatly, 
He said unto them, Give place : for the maid 
is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed 
him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 

Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe 



ISO SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

in God. believe also in me: I am the resurrec- 
tion, and the life : he that believeth in me, 
though he were dead, yet shall he live : and 
whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall 
never die. 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory 
rejoice th : for I know that my Redeemer livetli, 
and that he shall stand at the Litter day upon 
the earth: and though after my skin worms 
destroy this bod//, yet in my flesh shall I see 
God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine 
eyes shall behold, and not another ; though my 
reins be consumed within me ; my flesh also 
shall rest in hope: for thou wilt not leave my 
soul in hell. 

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for 
such things, be diligent that ye may be found 
of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 



FORMULA XL 

A BROTHER. 

NOW a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, 
of Bethany, the town of Mary and her 
sister Martha. Therefore his sisters sent unto 
him, saying, Lord, behold, lie whom thou 
lovest is sick. Then said Jesus unto them 
plainly, Lazarus is dead. Now* Jesus loved 
Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. Then 
said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst 



A BROTHER. 181 

been here, my brother had not died. But I 
know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask 
of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith 
unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Mar- 
tha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise 
again in the resurrection at the last day. 

And when she had so said, she went her 
way, and called Mary her sister secretly, say- 
ing, The Master is come, and ealleth for thee. 
As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, 
and came unto him. The Jews then which 
were with her in the house, and comforted her, 
when they saw Mary that she rose up hastily, 
and went out, followed her, saying, Shegoeth 
unto the grave to weep there. 

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, 
and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying 
unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my 
brother had not died. When Jesus therefore 
saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping 
which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, 
and was troubled, and said, Where have ye 
laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come 
and see. Jesus therefore again groaning in 
himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, 
and a stone lay upon it. Jesus wept. Then 
said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 

And David said unto him, How went the 
matter? 1 pray thee, tell me. And he an- 
swered, That the people are fled from the bat- 
tle, and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead. 



182 SERVICES' AT FUNERALS. 

Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent 
them; and mourned and wept, and fasted un- 
til even, for Jonathan. I am distressed for 
thee, my brother Jonathan : very pleasant hast 
thou been unto me : thy love to me was won- 
derful, passing the love of women. 

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die; 
and God will surely visit you, and bring you 
out of this land unto the land which he sware 
to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. So Jo- 
seph died, being an hundred and ten years old : 
and they embalmed him, and he was put in a 
coffin in Egypt. 

Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe 
in God, believe also in me. There is a friend 
that sticketh closer than a brother. There is 
one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he 
hath neither child nor brother: Jesus Christ 
the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever. 
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man 
lay down his life for his friends. But God 
commendeth his love toward us, in that while 
we were yet sinners Christ died for us. And 
Jesus saith, I am the resurrection, and the life : 
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, 
yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth, and 
believeth in me shall never die. Believest 
thou this? 

Wherefore comfort one another with these 
words. 



A YOUNG PERSON. 183 

FORMULA XII. 
A Young Person. 

THERE was a man in the land of Uz, whose 
name tvas Job; and that man was perfect 
and upright, and one that feared God, and 
eschewed evil. And there were born unto 
him seven sons and three daughters. And 
there was a day when his sons and his daugh- 
ters were eating and drinking wine in their 
eldest brother's house: and there came a mes- 
senger unto Job, and said, Behold, there came 
a great wind from the wilderness, and smote 
the four corners of the house, and it fell upon 
the young men, and they are dead ; and I only 
am escaped alone to tell thee. Then Job 
arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his 
head, and fell down upon the ground, and wor- 
shiped, and said, The Lord gave, and the Lord 
hath taken away; blessed be the name of the 
Lord. 

And behold, Cushi came ; and Cushi said, 
Tidings, my lord the king : for the Lord hath 
avenged thee this day of all them that rose up 
against thee. And the king said unto Cushi, 
Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi 
answered, The enemies of my lord the king, 
and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, 
be as that young man is. And the king was 
much moved, and went up to the chamber 



184 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus 
he said, my son Absalom! my son, my son 
Absalom! would God I had died for thee, 
Absalom, my son, my son! Thou hast made 
his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to 
the ground. The days of his youth hast thou 
shortened: and there followed him a great 
company of people, and of women, which also 
bewailed and lamented him. 

Return, Lord, how long? Remember 
how short my time is ! Are not my days few? 
Man that is born of a woman is of few days, 
and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a. 
flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a. 
shadow, and continueth not. Thou turnest 
man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye 
children of men. Thou earliest them away as 
with a flood ; they shall not live out half their 
days. Oh that they were wise, that they un- 
derstood this, that they Avould consider their 
latter end ! 

Remember now thy Creator in the days of 
thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor 
the years draw nigh, when thou shall; say, I 
have no pleasure in them. Then shall the 
dust return to the earth as it was: and the 
spirit shall return unto God who gave it. 
There the wicked cease from troubling; and 
there the weary be at rest. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with 
3 ou. Amen. 



A NEEDY PERSON. 185 

FORMULA XIII. 

A Needy Person. 

T'HE angel of the Lord encampeth round 
about them that fear him, and delivereth 
them. taste and see that the Lord is good : 
blessed is the man that trusteth in him. The 
Lord killeth, and maketh alive : he bringeth 
down to the grave, and bringeth up. The 
Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich ; he bring- 
eth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the 
poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beg- 
gar from the dunghill, to set them among 
princes, and to make them inherit the throne 
of glory : for the pillars of the earth are the 
Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. 
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God 
chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and 
heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised 
to them that love him ? 

So the poor hath hope. There was a cer- 
tain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at 
his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed 
with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's 
table : moreover, the dogs came and licked his 
sores. This poor man cried, and the Lord 
heard him, and saved him out of all his trou- 
bles. And it came to pass, that the beggar 
died, and was carried by the angels into Abra- 
ham's bosom ; and now he is comforted. 



186 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, 
Blessed be ye poor;, for yours is the kingdom 
of God. Blessed ewe ye that hunger now : for 
ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep 
now : for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye when 
men shall hate you, and when they shall sepa- 
rate you from their company ', and shall reproach 
you, and east out your name as evil, for the 
Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, 
and leap for joy : for behold, your reward is 
great in heaven. For thus saith the high and 
lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name 
is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, 
with him also that is of a contrite and humble 
spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and 
to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For 
he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the 
poor also, and him that hath no helper. Pie 
shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save 
the souls of the needy. 

Better # is to be of an humble spirit with the 
lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud : 
but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit: 
and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he. 
For all those things hath mine hand made, and 
all those things have been, saith the Lord : but 
to this man will I look, even to him that is poor 
and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my 
word. 

Better is the poor that walketh in his in- 
tegrity, than he that is perverse in his lip's, and 



BREVITY OF LIFE. 187 

is a fool; but he that hath mercy on the poor, 
happy is he. All the brethren of the poor do 
hate him : how much more do his friends go 
far from him ? Yet setteth he the poor on 
high from affliction, and maketh him families 
like a flock. The righteous shall see it, and 
rejoice : for the needy shall not always be for- 
gotten : the expectation of the poor shall not 
perish forever; he shall rise again in the resur- 
rection at the last day. For if we believe 
that Jesus died and rose again, even so them 
also which sleep in Jesus will God bring 
with him. 

Wherefore comfort one another with these 
words. 

FORMULA XIV. 

Brevity of Life. 

MAN that is born of a woman is of few days, 
and full of trouble. He cometh forth like 
a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a 
shadow, and continueth not: his days are as 
grass : as a flower of the field, so he flourish- 
eth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is 
gone; and the place thereof shall know it no 
more. For the sun is no sooner risen with a 
burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and 
the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the 
fashion of it perisheth : so also shall man fade 
away in his ways. And no man is sure of life : 



188 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

because as the flower of the grass he shall pass 
away. Lord, what is man, that thou takes I 
knowledge of him! or the son of man 1 , that 
thou makest account of him ! Man is like to 
vanity: his days are like as a shadow that 
passeth away. 

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What 
shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the 
goodliness thereof ?s as the flower of the field : 
and all the glory of man as the flower of grass, 
which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the 
oven. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth : 
because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it : 
surely the people is grass. Thou earnest them 
away as with a. flood; they are as a sleep; in 
the morning they are like grass ivhich groweth 
up. In the morning it flourished), and grow- 
eth up; in the evening it is cut down, and 
withereth. For we are but of yesterday, and 
know nothing, because our days upon earth arc 
a. shadow : for all our days are passed away in 
thy wrath; we spend our years as a. tale that 
is told. The days of our years are threescore 
years and ten; and if by reason of strength 
they be fourscore years, yet is their strength 
labor and sorrow : for it is soon cut off, and we 
fly away. We all do fade as a leaf; we are as 
the grass of the field, and as the green herb, 
as the grass on the house-tops, and as corn 
blasted before it be grown up. 

And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of 



BREVITY OF LIFE. 189 

ihe years of my pilgrimage are an hundred 
and thirty years: few and evil have the days 
of the years of my life been, and have not 
attained unto the clays of the years of the life 
of my fathers in the clays of their pilgrimage. 
When a, few years are come, then I shall go 
the way whence I shall not return. Are not 
my days few? Now my days are swifter than 
a post: they flee away, they see no good. 
They are passed away as the swift ships; as 
the eagle that hasteth to the prey. My days 
are like a shadow that declineth; and I am 
withered like grass. Behold, thou hast made 
my days as a handbreadth ; and mine age is 
as nothing before thee : thine eyes are upon 
me, and I am not. How 7 short my time is ! 
wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? 
My days are swifter than a, weaver's shuttle, 
and are spent without hope. Oh remember that 
my life is w 7 ind : mine eye shall no more see 
good. Truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy 
soul liveth, there is but a step between me and 
death. For I am now ready to be offered, and 
the time of my departure is at hand. 

Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow 
we will go into such a, city, and continue there 
a year, and buy and sell, and get gain : whereas 
ye know not what shall be on the morrow. 
For what is your life ? It is even a vapor, 
that appeareth for a little time, and then van- 
isheth away : as a dew from the Lord, as the 



190 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

showers upon the grass, that tsirrieth not for 

man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. For 
that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we 
shall live, and do this, or that: for here have 
we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 
But this I say, brethren, The time is short, 
the night is far spent, the day is at hand : be 
ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer: 
and, knowing the time, that now it is high 
time to awake out of sleep, whatsoever thy 
hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for 
there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, 
nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. 



FORMULA XV. 

Sudden Death. 

IT is better to go to the house of mourning. 
than to go to the house of feasting : for that 
is the end of all men; and the living will lay 
it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laugh- 
ter : for by the sadness of the countenance 
the heart is made better. Better is the end 
of a. thing than the beginning thereof: and the 
day of death than the day of one's birth. 
There is no man that hath power over the 
spirit to retain the spirit: neither hath he 
power in the day of death : and there is no 
discharge in that war: therefore shall his ca- 
lamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be 



SUDDEN DEATH. 191 

broken without remedy, as a, breach ready to 
fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose break- 
ing cometh suddenly at an instant. Then shall 
the dust return to the earth as it was : and the 
spirit shall return unto God who gave it. 

For man knoweth not his time : as the fishes 
that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds 
that are caught in the snare ; so are the sons 
of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth 
suddenly upon them. In a moment shall they 
die, and the people shall be troubled at mid- 
night, and pass away: and the mighty shall 
be taken away without hand as chatf that 
passe th away : yea, it shall be at an instant 
suddenly. Truly as the Lord liveth, and as 
thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me 
and death. 

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, 
ye have no need that I write unto you. For 
yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the 
Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For 
when they shall say, Peace and safety; then 
sudden destruction cometh upon them, as 
travail upon a woman with child ; and they 
shall not escape. Like sheep they are laid 
in the grave ; death shall feed on them : and 
their beauty shall consume in the grave from 
their dwelling. 

But of that day and that hour knoweth no 
man. Take ye heed, watch and pray : for ye 
know not when the time is. For ihq &§ qf 

13 



192 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

man is as a. man taking a far journey, who left 
his house, and gave authority to his servant.-. 
and to every man his work; and commanded 
the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore : for 
ye know not when the master of the house 
cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the 
cock-crowing, or in the morning: lest coming 
suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I 
say unto you, I say unto all, Watch. 

The night is far spent, the day is at hand : 
Behold the Judge standeth before the door. 
Work Avhile it is day : the night cometh, 
when no man can work. The coming of the 
Lord draweth nigh. Be diligent that ye may 
be found of him in peace, without spot, and 
blameless. Behold, now is the accepted time; 
behold, now is the day of salvation. What- 
soever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy 
might; for there is no work, nor device, nor 
knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither 
thou goest. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with 
you. Amen. 

FORMULA XVI. 

A Suffering Person. 



B 



ing the fiery (rial which is to try you, as 
though some strange thing happened unto 
yotti-fo-r our light affliction', -which is but for 



A SUFFERING PERSON. 193 

a moment, worketh for us a far more exceed- 
ing and eternal weight of gloiy; but rejoice, 
inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suf- 
ferings ; that, when his glory shall be revealed, 
ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If 
ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy 
are ye ; for the Spirit of glory and of God 
resteth upon you : for if we suffer, we shall 
also reign with him. And if we are the chil- 
dren of God, then heirs : heirs of God, and 
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suf- 
fer with him, that we may be also glorified 
together. For I reckon, that the sufferings of 
this present time are not worthy to be compared 
with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have 
spoken in the name of the Lord, for an exam- 
ple of suffering affliction, and of patience. 
Behold, we count them happy which endure. 
Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and 
have seen the end of the Lord ; that the 
Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the 
Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he 
knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we 
are dust. 

Blessed be the God of all comfort; who 
comforteth us in all our tribulation, that w T e 
may be able to comfort them which are in any 
trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves 
are comforted of God. So. that we. ourselves 



194 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

glory in you for your patience and faith in all 
your persecutions and tribulations that ye en- 
dure : which is a, manifest token of the right- 
eous judgment of God, that ye may be counted 
worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye 
also suffer. 

Wherefore weep ye not for the dead, nei- 
ther bemoan them : for these are they which 
came out of great tribulation, and have washed 
their robes, and made them white in the blood 
of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the 
throne of God, and serve him day and night in 
his temple. They shall hunger no more, neither 
thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on 
them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in 
the midst of the throne shall feed them, and 
shall lead them unto living fountains of waters : 
and God shall wipe away all tears from their 
eyes. Blessed are the dead which die in the 
Lord from henceforth : Yea, saith the Spirit, 
that they may rest from their labors; and 
their works do follow them. 

Wherefore, comfort one another with these 
words. 



FORMULA XVII. 
Death Longed For. 

MARK the perfect man, and behold the 
upright: for the end of that man is peace. 
The day of his death is better than the day 



DEATH LONGED FOR. 195 

of his birth. The righteous perisheth, and no 
man layeth it to heart : and merciful men are 
taken away, none considering that the right- 
eous is taken away from the evil to come. He 
shall enter into peace. The wicked is driven 
away in his wickedness : but the righteous 
hath hope in his death. Precious in the sight 
of the Lord is the death of his saints. Let 
me die the death of the righteous, and let my 
last end be like his ! 

As for me, I will behold thy face in right- 
eousness : I shall be satisfied, when I awake, 
with thy likeness. For I know that Christ 
shall be magnified in my body, whether it be 
by life, or by death. For me to live is Christ, 
and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, 
this is the fruit of my labor : yet what I shall 
choose I wot not. For I am in a strait be- 
tw T ixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be 
w T ith Christ: which is far better. I would 
not live alway : let me alone ; for my days 
are vanity. 

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a 
dove! for then would I fly away, and be at 
rest. Yea, though I walk through the valley 
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: 
for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff 
they comfort me. My days are past, my pur- 
poses are broken off, even the thoughts of my 
heart. I go the way of nil the earth. Into 



196 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast re- 
deemed me, Lord God of truth. 

And I heard a voice from heaven, saying 
nnto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which 
die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith 
the Spirit, that they may rest from their la- 
bors; and their works do follow them. And 
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; 
and there shall he no more death, neither sor- 
row, nor crying, neither shall there be any 
more pain : for the former things are passed 
away. There the wicked cease from troubling; 
and there the weary be at rest. 

Wherefore we are confident, I say, and will- 
ing rather to be absent from the body, and to 
be present with the Lord. And we labor, 
that, whether present or absent, we may be 
accepted of him. For we must all appear 
before the judgment-seat of Christ: that every 
one may receive the things done in his body, 
according to that he hath done, whether it be 
good or bad. 

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for 
such things, what manner of persons ought ye 
to be in all holy conversation and godliness; 
waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus 
Christ; who shall also confirm you unto the 
end, that ye may be found of him in peace, with- 
out spot, and blameless in the day of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and 
forever. Amen. 



SYMPATHY IN BEREAVEMENT. 197 

FORMULA XVIII. 

Sympathy in Bereavement. 

HAVE pity upon me, have pity upon me, 
ye my friends; for the hand of God hath 
touched me. I am desolate and afflicted. 
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, 
and mine acquaintance into darkness For 
these things I weep; mine eye runneth down 
with water, because the comforter that should 
relieve my soul is far from me: my children 
are desolate. Therefore said I, Look away 
from me : I will weep bitterly, labor not to 
comfort me, for it is a day of trouble. 

Now when Job's three friends heard of all 
this evil that was come upon him, they came 
every one from his own place; Eliphaz the 
Tenia nite, and Bildad I he Shuhite, and Zophar 
the Naamathite : for they had made an ap- 
pointment together to come to mourn with 
him, and (o comfort him. And when they 
lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, 
they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they 
rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust 
upon their heads toward heaven. So the}^ sat 
down with him upon the ground seven days 
and seven nights, and none spake a word unto 
him : for they saw that his grief was very great. 

A man that hath friends must show himself 
friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh 



198 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

closer than a brother. A friend loveth at all 
times, and a brother is born for adversity. To 
him that is afflicted pfty should be showed from 
his friend. 

Comfort ye, comfoit ye my people, saith 
your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusa- 
lem. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and 
weep with them that weep. Appoint unto 
them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them 
beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, 
the garment of praise for (he spirit of heavi- 
ness. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye 
shall weep and lament, but the world shall re- 
joice : and ye shall be sorrowful, but your 
sorrow shall be turned into joy. As one 
whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort 
you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. 
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the 
Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he 
knoAveth our frame; he remembereth that we 
are dust. 

And many of the Jews came to Martha and 
Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus 
was coming, went and met him : but Mary sat 
still in the house. Then said Martha unto 
Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my 
brother had not died. When Jesus therefore 
saw her weeping, and the Jews also weteping 
which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, 
and was troubled, and said, Where have ye 



HOPE IN DEATH. 199 

laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come 
and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, 
Behold how he loved him ! 

But I would not have you to be ignorant, 
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, 
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have 
no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died 
and rose again, even so them also which sleep 
in Jesus will God bring with him. 

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and 
God, even our Father, which hath loved us, 
and hath given us everlasting consolation and 
good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, 
and establish you in every good word and work. 



FORMULA XIX. 
Hope in Death. 

THE righteous hath hope in his death. For 
we know that if our earthly house of this 
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a huilding 
of God, an house not made with hands, eternal 
in the heavens. Therefore we are always con- 
fident, and willing: rather to be absent from 
the body, and to be present with the Lord. 

Who shall separate us from the love of 
Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or perse- 
cution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or 
sword ? Nay, in all these things Ave are more 
than conquerors, through him that loved us. 



200 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, 
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor 
things present, nor things to come, nor height, 
nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able 
to separate us from the love of God which is in 
Christ Jesus our Lord. For I reckon that the 
sufferings of this present time are not worthy 
to be compared with the glory which shall be 
revealed in us. 

But we had (he sentence of death in our- 
selves, that we should not trust in ourselves, 
but in God which raise th the dead. Blessed 
are the dead which die in the Lord, from hence- 
forth : Yea, saifch the Spirit, that they may 
rest from their labors; and their works do fol- 
low them. Precious in the sight of the Lord 
is the death of his saints. I will ransom them 
from the power of the grave; I will redeem 
them from death : death, I will be thy 
plagues; grave, I will be thy destruction. 

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for 
his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: 
for his anger endureth but a moment; in his fa- 
vor is life : weeping may endure for a. night, 
hut joy cometh in the morning. He will .swal- 
low up death in victory; and the Lord God 
will wipe away tears from off all faces. 
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him : 
for I know whom I have believed, and am per- 
suaded that he is able to keep that which I 
have committed unto him against that day. 



HOPE IN DEATH. 201 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the 
shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou 
art with me; thy rod and thy staff they com- 
fort me. Thou shalt quicken me again, and 
shalt bring me up again from the depths of the 
earth. For thou wilt not leave my soul in 
hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One 
to see corruption. 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory 
rejoiceth : my flesh also shall rest in hope. 
For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and 
that he shall stand at the latter day upon the 
earth : and though after my skin worms destroy 
this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God : 
whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes 
shall behold, and not another ; though my reins 
be consumed within me. For God will redeem 
my soul from the power of the grave As for 
me, I will behold thy face in righteousness : I 
shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy like- 
ness. In thy presence ^fullness of joy; at 
thy right hand there are pleasures forever- 
more. There the wicked cense fro?n troubling ; 
and there the weary be at rest. Let me die 
the death of the righteous, and let my last 
end be like his ! 

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness : 
for the Lamb which is in the midst of the 
throne shall feed them, and shall lead them 
unto living fountains of waters. Mark the 
perfect man, and behold the upright: for the 



202 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

end of that man is peace : and the Lord will 
preserve him unto his heavenly kingdom ; to 
whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 



FORMULA XX. 

Advantages of Death. 

THE righteous perisheth, and no man layeth 
it to heart: and merciful men are taken 
away, none considering that the righteous is 
taken away from the evil to come. He shall 
enter into peace. For he that is dead is freed 
from sin. The righteous is delivered out of 
trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead. 
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing 
precious seed, shall doubtless come again with 
rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Mark 
the perfect man, and behold the upright: for 
the end of that man is peace. 

And Jesus said unto him, Verily, I say 
unto thee, To-day sha.lt thou be with me in 
paradise. There the wicked cease from troub- 
ling; and there the w r ea,ry be at rest. There 
the prisoners rest together; they hear not the 
voice of the oppressor. The small and great 
are there; and the servant is free from his 
master. And I heard a voice from heaven 
saying unto me, Write, 131 esse d are (he dead 
which die in the Lord from henceforth : Yea, 



ADVANTAGES OF DEATH. 203 

saith the Spirit, that (bey may rest from their 
labors; and their works do follow them. 

Blessed are they that mourn : for J:hey shall 
be comforted. They that sow in tears shall 
reap in joy. They shall hunger no more, 
neither thirst any more ; neither shall the sun 
light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb 
which is in the midst of the throne shall feed 
them, and shall lead them unto living fountains 
of waters : and God shall wipe away all tears 
from their eyes. Precious in the sight of the 
Lord is the death of his saints. For we know 
that if our earthly house of this tabernacle 
were dissolved, w r e have a building of God, a 
house not made with hands, eternal in the 
heavens. For to me to live is Christ, and to 
die is gain. 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory 
rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 
For thou will not leave my soul in hell; neither 
w i It thou suffer thine Holy One to see corrup- 
tion. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in 
thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right 
hand there are pleasures for evermore : as it is 
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
neither have entered into the heart of man, 
the things which God hath prepared for them 
that love him. Henceforth there is laid up 
for me a crown of righteousness, which the 
Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at 
that day : and not to me only, but unto all 



204 SERVICES AT FUNERALS. 

them also that love bis appearing. Be thou 
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a. 
crown of life. 

Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe 
in God, believe also in me. In my Father's 
house are many mansions: if $ were not so, I 
would have told you. I go to prepare a. place 
for you. And if I go and prepare a place for 
you, I will come again and receive you unto 
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it 
doth not yet appear what we shall be : but we 
know that, when he shall appear, we shall be 
like him; for we shall see him as he is. For 
whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and 
whether we die, we die unto the Lord: 
whether we live therefore, or die, we are the 
Lord's. 

For which cause w r e faint not; but though 
our outward man perish, yet the inward man 
is renewed day by day. For our light afflic- 
tion, which is but for a moment, worketh for 
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory. 

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for 
such things, be diligent that ye may be found 
of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 



A CHRISTIAN MAN. 205 

CHAPTER XII. 

Services at the Grave. 



FORMULA I. 

A Christian Man. 

MAN, that is born of a woman, is of few 
days, and full of trouble. He eometh 
forth like a flower, and is cut down ; he fleeth 
also as a shadow, and continueth not. In the 
midst of life we are in death. And yet, 
though our bodies die and molder into dust, 
we have hope ; for Jesus saith, I am the res- 
urrection and the life; he that believeth in 
me, though he were dead, yet shall he live ; 
and whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, 
shall never die. As our kind heavenly Fa- 
ther, in his wise providence, has taken the 
soul of our brother home to himself, we will 
now consign his mortal remains to the cold 
ground : Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust 
to dust; looking confidently for the resurrec- 
tion of the just, and the life of the world to 
come. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the 
love of God, and the communion of the Holy 
Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 



206 SERVICES AT THE GRAVE. 

FORMULA II. 
A Christian Woman. 

THE grave is the house appointed for all 
living. But precious in the sight of the 
Lord is the death of his saints. Of such 
Jesus saith : To-day shalt thou be with me in 
Paradise. 

There the wicked cease from troubling, and 
there the weary be at rest. For the Lamb, 
which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed 
them, and shall lead them unto living fount- 
ains of waters; and God shall wipe away all 
tears from their eyes. Therefore, 

Unveil thy bosom, faithful tomb, 
Take this new treasure to thy trust; 

And give these sacred relics room 
To slumber in the silent dust. 

Nor pain, nor grief, nor anxious fear, 
Invades thy bounds — no mortal woes 

Can reach the peaceful sleeper here, 
While angels watch the soft repose. 

So Jesus slept ; God's dying Son 

Passed through the grave, and blessed the bed; 
Rest here, blest saint, till from his throne 

The morning break, and pierce the shade. 

Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty 
God, in his mysterious providence, to take the 
soul of our dear sister out of this world, we 
will tremblingly give all that remains here of 
her to its kindred element: Earth to earth, 



A CHILD. 207 

ashes to ashes, dust to dust; cherishing a 
blessed hope of a joyful resurrection of the 
sainted dead, at the last day; for this corrup- 
tible must put on incorruption, and this mortal 
must put on immortality. 

And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, and the peace of God which passeth 
all understanding, and the fellowship of the 
Holy Spirit, abide with you, and keep your 
hearts and minds to eternal life. Amen. 



FORMULA III. 
A Child. 

OUR dear Redeemer saith: Suffer the little 
children to come unto me, and forbid them 
not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 

He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and 
cany them in his bosom. There they shall 
not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat 
nor sun smite them : for he that hath mercy 
on them shall lead them, even by the springs 
of water shall he guide them. 

Gentle Shepherd, thou hast stilled 
Now thy little lamb's long weeping; 

Ah, how peaceful, pale, and mild, 
In its narrow bed 't is sleeping ! 

And no sigh of anguish sore 
Heaves that little bosom more. 

While the child was yet alive, we fasted 
and wept : for we said, who can tell whether 

14 



208 SERVICES AT THE GRAVE. 

God will be gracious to us, that the child may 
live. But now it is dead, wherefore should 
we fast? Can we bring it back again? We 
shall go to it, but it shall not return to us. 
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken 
away; blessed be the name of the Lord. 

Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God 
to remove the spirit of his little lamb to his 
bosom, we will commit its precious tenement 
of clay to the ground : Earth to earth, ashes 
to ashes, dust to dust: in the joyful hope of 
the general resurrection, at the last day, and a 
blissful immortality in the paradise of God. 

And now may grace, and peace, and love, 
from God the Father, and God the Son, and 
God the Holy Ghost, be, and abide with you 
evermore. Amen. 



FORMULA IV. 
A Minister. 

MAN, that is born of woman, is of few days, 
and full of trouble. He cometh forth like 
a flower, and is cut down : he fleeth ako as a 
shadow, and continueth-not. The beauty of 
Israel is fallen, and is no more. We are dis- 
tressed for thee, our dear brother; very pleas- 
ant hast thou been unto us in thy life ; thy 
love to us was wonderful; and in death we 
are not divided. 

All alike lie down in common dust, the 



A PUBLIC MAN. 209 

prophet, the priest, and the people. The tall, 
the wise, the reverend head, must lie as low 
as ours. But blessed are the dead who die in 
the Lord from henceforth ; yea, saith the 
Spirit, that they may rest from their labors ; 
and their works do follow them. If a man 
die, shall he live again? Jesus saith: lam 
the resurrection and the life ; he that believeth 
in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live ; 
and whosoever liveth and believeth in me 
shall never die. As it hath pleased Almighty 
God, in his inscrutable providence, to remove 
to himself the soul of our dear departed brother, 
we will commit his body to the ground : Earth 
to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in joy- 
ful anticipation of a glorious resurrection, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ, at the last day, 
when he shall be like him ; for he shall see 
him as he is, and enter into the joy of his Lord. 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love 
of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, 
be with you all, now and forever. Amen. 



FORMULA V. 

A Public Man. 



THERE is a prince and a great man fallen 
this day ! Behold, the Lord taketh away 
the mighty man, and the man of war, and the 
judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and 



210 SERVICES AT THE GRAVE. 

the ancient, and the honorable man, and the 
counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the 
eloquent orator. Of a truth God is no respecter 
of persons ; but a great God, who regardeth not 
persons, nor taketh reward. 

Hark ! from the tombs a doleful sound : 

Miue ears attend the cry; 
Ye living men, come view the ground 

Where you must shortly lie. 
The prince reposes in this bed, 

In spite of all his towers ! 
The tall, the wise, the reverend head, 

Lies here as low as ours. 

For the Lord regardeth not the prince more 
than the humble, nor the rich more than the 
poor; for they all are the work of his hands. 
In a moment shall they die and pass away. 
They are exalted for a little while, but are 
gone and brought low; they are taken out of 
the way as all others, and cut off as the tops 
of the ears of corn. 

Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty 
God to remove from our midst the soul of the 
departed, we will now commit his body to its 
kindred element: Earth to earth, ashes to 
ashes, dust to dust; in the certain anticipation 
of the general resurrection, at the last day, 
when God shall reward every man according 
to his works, whether good or bad. Now may 
grace, and peace, and love, from God the 
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, 
three persons, one God, be with you all. Amen. 



GENERAL OCCASIONS. 211 

FORMULA VI. 

General Occasions. 

OUR days are as grass, as a flower of the 
field, so we flourish. For the wind pass- 
eth over it, and it is gone; and the place 
thereof shall know it no more. We brought 
nothing into this world, and it is certain we 
can carry nothing out. The dust shall return 
to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall 
return to God who gave it. ♦' 

As the soul of the departed has entered the 
unseen future, we will now consign all that is 
mortal to the cold ground : Earth to earth, 
ashes to ashes, dust to dust : in the certain 
expectation of the general resurrection, at the 
final day, when all that are in their graves 
shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and 
shall come forth ; they that have done good, 
unto the resurrection of life; and they that 
have done evil, unto the resurrection of dam- 
nation. For as in Adam all die, even so in 
Christ shall all be made alive; and whatsoever 
a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

The peace of God, which' passe th all under- 
standing, keep your hearts and minds, through 
Jesus Christ, to eternal life. Amen. 

15 



